Driver Safety

Honk If You Hear Me! Hearing and Driving Webinar

Posted on 05/1/2012 by Julie Lee | The Road Well Traveled | Comments

Home & FamilyHear that ambulance? Or the motorcycle coming from behind? If you said, “sometimes,” that’s not good enough. Hearing plays a critical role in safe driving and we’re here to help. Changes in hearing occur naturally with age, usually popping up around age 50. Thirty-three percent drivers over age 65 report some degree of hearing loss, according to Healthy Hearing. By adjusting your driving habits, and with help from some assistive technologies, you can stay safe on the road. Join me …

The Takeaway: DriveLAB Taking Technology Cues From Older Drivers

Posted on 04/24/2012 by Elizabeth Brown | Brooklyn, NY | Comments

News RoundupsOn the Road: New technology aimed at making navigation easier for older drivers is in the works at England’s Newcastle University, where researchers have converted an electric car into a mobile laboratory for studying the challenges these drivers face. Tricked out with eye trackers, bio-monitors and other monitoring systems, the DriveLAB car—designed to pinpoint older drivers’ habits and stressors—is part of the UK’s Research Council’s nearly $20 million program to help seniors stay on the road.

Volunteers: Thank You for All You Do

Posted on 04/17/2012 by Julie Lee | The Road Well Traveled | Comments

VolunteeringApril 15-21 marks National Volunteer Week—a week to recognize the extraordinary achievements of volunteers in their efforts to improve the lives of others through service. At AARP Driver Safety, we rely on a network of nearly 6,500 volunteers to instruct, promote, and coordinate our classroom course, CarFit, and “We Need to Talk” in local communities nationwide. In 2011, our volunteers helped over 550,000 drivers stay safe, educated, and confident. During National Volunteer Week last year, we recognized several exceptional Driver Safety volunteers, …

My First Car: Tell Us Your Story

Posted on 02/13/2012 by Julie Lee | The Road Well Traveled | Comments

Home & FamilyYou don’t forget your first car. Passing your driver’s test and getting your driver’s license is one of the most important milestones in life—and in most cases, it’s the first hurdle you jump on the road to adulthood. For me, and I imagine for most people, having my driver’s license provided me with my first real taste of freedom and independence. I got my license around 1974, and my first car was a light blue Volkswagen “Squareback,” which they don’t …

Super Bowl: Top 5 Car Commercials

Posted on 02/6/2012 by Julie Lee | The Road Well Traveled | Comments

Home & FamilySunday’s Super Bowl featured some intense competition—and not just between the Giants and the Patriots. As usual, advertisers went above and beyond, showcasing creative, elaborate (read: expensive), and celebrity-infused ads. It’s no surprise that the auto industry had a strong presence during the big game, and nearly every commercial break featured at least one car commercial. Here are five of the most memorable:

10 Safety Tips for Walkers (and Drivers)

Posted on 01/23/2012 by Julie Lee | The Road Well Traveled | Comments

Home & FamilyYou may think you’re a safe driver, but are you a safe walker? Like many traffic fatalities, pedestrian accidents are fully preventable. And yet nearly 47,000 people were killed and 688,000 were injured in the U.S. while crossing or walking along a street between 2000 and 2009 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This means that a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle nearly every 7 minutes. In most communities, sometimes you’re a walker and sometimes you’re a driver. When you’re …