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AA DEF Senior Driver seminar

AA DEF hosted a seminar about senior driver issues in Wellington on 1-2 March 2010. As part of this, AA DEF partnered with Australian motoring clubs to bring Ms Elin Schold Davis to New Zealand as a keynote speaker. Ms Davis shared information about the USA experience and some useful interventions for senior driver assessment, rehabilitation and transition from driving to other modes of transport.

Background

Current assessment process for older drivers

Compulsory driver testing of drivers at the age of 75 and then 80, and every two years subsequent to that, ended in 2006.  The current system of older drivers being monitored for fitness to drive by their General Practitioners (GPs) began in 2006.

GPs need to assess their older driver patients as fit to drive/not fit to drive or refer them for an on-road driving test or to other health professionals for specific testing of cognitive or overall fitness to drive. They can then make recommendations for special licence conditions to be applied by NZ Transport Agency, if in their opinion this seems required.

View the older driver assessment process factsheet on the NZ Transport Agency website

Need for education and consideration of alternatives

In 2006 the NZ Automobile Association (NZAA) and its Driver Education Foundation (AA DEF) had the view that the new re-licensing system for older drivers would work well if supported by good education opportunities for older drivers.

The seminar-style Safe with Age course for older drivers had been available to older drivers for some years. It was revised and updated in 2006 to accompany the new re-licensing process. Provision was made for a subsidised coaching / assessment lesson from a qualified driving instructor, for drivers who had attended a Safe With Age course.

In the 2008/09 financial year, of more than 800,000 drivers over the age of 55, approximately 4000 took up the opportunity to attend a Safe with Age course. Of these 4000, approximately 700 then took up the opportunity for a Government-subsidised coaching/assessment lesson from a qualified driving instructor.

At the end of the 2008/09 financial year the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) was asked to review all its spending in the Activity Class that funds road safety education for all road user groups. In August 2009 NZTA announced that funding for the Safe With Age course would not be continued, although providers had the option to continue to use the materials that had been created and provided for the course by NZTA.

Safe With Age had been open to drivers over the age of 55. As part of the wider education funding review, NZTA would consider new arrangements to provide cost-effective education opportunities for older drivers. (The NZTA’s 0800 infoline has details of areas where one of these new courses has now been set up.)

When funding for the nationally provided Safe With Age course was cut in August 2009, AA DEF decided to offer an event which would be a forum for discussion among interested Government agencies, community groups and concerned individuals, driving instructors and testing officers, and the various groups of health professionals involved in the assessment process for older drivers.

Senior Driver Seminar

The seminar was held at the Newlands Community Centre on 1 – 2 March 2010. A community setting and venue was selected to model a low-cost style of education that might suit community groups in the current environment of funding constraints.

Presentations

Chairperson of the AA Driver Education Foundation – Mike Noon

Mike Noon, Chairperson of AA Driver Education Foundation, welcomed the attendees. Mike mentioned the trend of increasing numbers of older drivers likely to be on our roads, according to Statistics New Zealand projections which mirror overseas demographic trends. Mike also underlined the concern the AA DEF has to see that good options for education/update training of older drivers are made available through cost-effective channels.

Download text of the Opening Address by AA DEF Chairperson Mike Noon

Download information about Senior Drivers

Ministry of Transport & NZ Transport Agency

This presentation covered:

  • Re-licensing requirements
  • The Safe With Age course and participation numbers in the 2007/08 and 2008/09 financial years
  • Decision process to cease funding Safe With Age
  • Continuing commitment from Government agencies to improve safety for mature drivers
  • Mature Road User Education Reference Group established by NZTA
  • NZTA aims to develop and pilot an alternative older driver education approach in the 2010/11 year

Download MoT & NZTA presentation - New Zealand’s senior driver operational setting

New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists

Download presentation 'Assessing fitness to drive – a matter of risk'

Download notes on presentation 'Assessing fitness to drive - a matter of risk'

Australian Motoring Clubs

Representatives from Australian Motoring Clubs attended the Senior Drivers Seminar and made the point there is a limited amount of research/data on seniors mobility and it is an area that needs to be addressed. Older drivers' need for assistance to maintain mobility is growing in the Australian community as in other societies throughout the world. Services should be research based, qualitative and quantitative.

Download Australian Motoring Club presentation

Keynote Speaker: Elin Schold Davis

Presentations and material:

The Collaborative Model

Changes associated with aging and their impact on driver safety & Introduction to CarFit

Driver Screening vs Evaluation; Transitioning Out of Driving

Speaker profile

Dr Richard Jones, Van der Veer Institute

Download research update on CANDAT screening tool

Martin Jenkins, Akilla

Download presentation on Drowsy Driving

Group discussion/Plenary session contributions

Download notes on Group Discussion