HANNIBAL - The Keep Your Keys program is a driver-safety course geared toward people 55 and older, caregivers and facilitators, health educators, policy or highway patrol departments, nurses, etc. This program is being offered at the Friedens United Church of Christ, in Warrenton on Wednesday, October 27 at 10:30 a.m. You do not need to register for this event, everyone is welcomed to attend.
The University of Missouri Health Care's Injury Prevention and Outreach Program provides resources for adults – both individuals and caregivers – who may need support to continue driving or retire from driving. “Drivers age 65 and older are at higher risk for death or disabling injuries due to their body being more susceptible to injury,” said NE Coalition for Roadway Safety Facilitator Marisa Ellison. “We are concerned for everyone who drives on Missouri roads and will continue to work toward reducing fatalities and disabling injuries by supporting educational programs like this one,” she added.
If interested, please contact Amy Price, Trauma Nurse priceam@health.missouri.edu or Beth Koster, Coordinator of Outreach kosterb@health.missouri.edu or call (573) 884-7143.
There are four main factors that can affect driving as one ages:
- Decreased flexibility and strength
- Decline in vision and/or hearing
- Cognitive issues
- Medication interactions
Staying safe on the road
To keep ourselves and our fellow motorists’ safe, it’s essential to self-assess our driving skills on a regular basis.
Ask yourself:
- Am I unable to keep up with the flow of traffic?
- Do I find myself getting lost or forgetting where I am going?
- Do I feel tired when I am driving?
- Have I been involved in a crash in the past year?
- Have others expressed a concern regarding my driving?
Take our driving self-assessment.
Whether you’re able to ease into driving retirement or it happens unexpectedly, it’s important to create a transportation plan that helps you stay active and social even if you can no longer drive.