Senior Driving

By 2030, there will be more than 70 million people aged 65 and older, and approximately 85-90 percent of them will be licensed to drive.

Seniors are out-living their ability to drive safely by an average of 7-10 years and must now plan their “driving retirement” just as they would plan for their financial retirement.

AAA Northeast is dedicated to providing older adults and their families with a wide array of resources and information to help extend their driving career and remain independent and safely mobile after giving up the keys.

Senior Driving Programs

The AAA Defensive Driving Course is packed with up-to-date safe driving techniques and can help sharpen a mature driver’s behind-the-wheel skills.

The course can be taken online or in a classroom setting and covers common driving issues relevant to mature drivers, including:

Distractions
Drowsiness
Aggressive Driving/Road Rage
Managing visibility, time and space
Impaired driving ( medications and alcohol )
Comfort and safety behind the wheel and vehicle technology

Drivers in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York & Rhode Island are eligible for an insurance discount after successful completion of the AAA Defensive Driving Course. Visit AAA.com/DefensiveDriving for more information and to register for a course.

This interactive online workshop was developed by AAA Northeast to help older adults, caregivers, and family members plan for driving retirement. The Key Timing resource contains:

Data and statistics about senior driving.
Advice for caregivers to be able to start conversation about driving retirement.
General driving assessment tools.
State-specific driving assessment information.
State-specific transportation options and information.
Information to help prepare for driving retirement.

Key Timing Workshop

A safe driving presentation for mature drivers, delivered by AAA Northeast with support from the RI Department of Transportation Office on Highway Safety. This presentation covers:

The major causes of crashes for older drivers
Advice for extending safe driving years
How to plan driving cessation (and resources for staying mobile!)
Pedestrian and bicycle safety tips

Request Presentation

Drivers 65 Plus is a brochure featuring a 15-question self-rating driving assessment exercise designed to help a senior driver examine their driving performance. The driving assessment will:

Calculate a driving performance score
Identify strengths and weaknesses
Provide suggestions to improve driving

Take Assessment

Additional Resources

Mature drivers can also improve their safety by ensuring a proper “fit” in their vehicle. This educational program offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their vehicle meets their needs and provides community-specific resources that can enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community.

At a CarFit event, or during a virtual CarFit assessment, trained technicians and/or health professionals work with each participant to ensure they fit their vehicle properly for maximum comfort and safety. Technicians conduct an approximately 20 minute assessment and look for things like distance from the steering wheel, line of sight over the steering wheel, ability to reach gas/brake pedals, fit of seat belt, and blind spot minimization, among others.

Watch the video linked below to learn more.

CarFit Overview Video Information & Events

For more information about CarFit, contact:

To understand and meet the safe mobility needs of older adult drivers, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety launched the Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers study (LongROAD) with the goals to:

Better understand the major protective and risk factors of safe driving in older adults.
Assess the effects of medical conditions and medications on driving behavior and safety.
Investigate the mechanisms through which older adults self-regulate their driving behaviors to cope with functional declines as they age.
Determine the extent, use and effects of new vehicle technology and aftermarket vehicle adaptations among older drivers.
Identify the determinants and health consequences of driving cessation during the process of aging.

Learn More