Safe Driving Through the Eyes of an Occupational Therapist

It’s no surprise that as the number of fatalities by vehicle accidents has been on the rise, the importance of safe driving and education has become more important than ever for Americans. I am an occupational therapy student. As an occupational therapist it is always our goal to get patients back to living their highest quality of life. This can mean pursuing the daily activities that are most meaningful to that patient. Oftentime, one of those daily activities is driving. Because of this, I have learned to look at safe driving in an array of different perspectives and viewpoints.

As a future occupational therapist one of the major aspects we look at with patients is evaluating their ability to drive safely and effectively. However, another major factor that many people do not do enough is evaluating the fit of the vehicle to the patient. Today it’s important more than ever for people to know that anyone who owns a vehicle should be adjusting the fit of their car. Through the eyes of a therapist, this can cause many accidents. Raising awareness to better fit our vehicles, is one of the first steps we as a community can make to become a better driver and help others become safer on the road as well.

As an example, one of the major communities that occupational therapists may work with is the older adult community. As we age, it’s important to understand the major changes that take place over time. Our vision may decrease, we may lose flexibility, and our speed reflexes decrease. All of these changes make it even more important that our cars fit us properly. When we fit our car it’s important to know all the aspects and parts of the car that can be adjusted, and vehicles are way more adjustable then what most people realize! Examples of more known parts of the car that can be adjusted properly are: seatbelts, the tilt of the steering wheel, the seats, mirrors, and head restraints. What we often don’t see enough of as therapists is the adjustment of the airbag position, and adjustments being made to reduce the blind spots of the driver. All of these aspects are essential when it comes to the safety of the driver and the comfort of driving as a whole.

It is just as critical to make sure your vehicle fits you properly as a new driver, as it is when anything changes in your life (such as an injury) or as you age. Occupational therapists understand that this can become confusing and that it’s hard to know if your car is adjusted in the best possible way. This is why the American Occupational Therapy Association collaborated with the American Society on Aging, the AAA, and the AARP, to form the CarFit program. The visionaries of these associations came together to combine expertise, volunteer work, and help give access to older drivers. Today they continue to deliver a public health message of injury prevention and safety for the aging drivers in America. The purpose of CarFit is to help mature drivers find out how well they currently fit their automobile, understand the individualized adjustments and safety features of their car, and discuss their driving safety and other mobility options without concern over losing their license. The fear of losing a license is a common obstacle within the older adult population, and makes it even more important to raise awareness to educational programs such as Carfit, to ensure that this community gets the proper tools they need to feel safe, and drive safer.

To make things even better, CarFit events are usually free! They are often held in many community settings across the country, and anyone can attend. The volunteer leaders include many occupational therapy practitioners who use a 12-point checklist to ensure that each driver’s car is adjusted properly and that the safety features of the vehicle are explained thoroughly. This can increase the likelihood that they are being used optimally by the driver. The entire process only takes about 20 minutes! Carfit also offers free virtual workshops to help you through some of the aspects of adjusting your car in the comfort of your own garage or driveway.

When it comes to what steps we can take to be a better driver, as well as help others become safer on the road, making sure vehicles are adjusted properly is one of the first steps we can take to allow us to drive as optimally as possible. Increasing our education with programs such as CarFit and raising awareness to other information out there is also extremely important when it comes to helping our community get the resources they need to feel safer on the road.