Senior Driving Safety: Is It Time To Take Away the Keys?

Feb. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- The nationally acclaimed Beyond Driving with Dignity Program is a 3-hour program that  includes an in-home self assessment of the older driver, facilitated by the BDD professional and exercises, tools and screenings to help the older driver and concerned family make appropriate driving-related decisions along with guidance and support in helping the older driver make a smooth transition into driving retirement.

Jay Wasack, founder of AlwaysConnected Solutions, is the state’s only Certified Beyond Driving with Dignity Professional. He will be available to conduct self-assessment sessions with families as well as providing group presentations to families who wish to learn more about the program.

“As our senior population grows, attention to the needs of that population must increase proportionately. AlwaysConnected has been focused on safety solutions for seniors through technology. However, we do not limit safety solutions to just technology. When I discovered the existence of Keeping Us Safe, I realized it was a natural extension to what the company provides. Everyone at AlwaysConnected is passionate about helping our seniors. Becoming a Certified Beyond Driving with Dignity Professional just made sense.”
“As we age, it’s normal for our driving abilities to change. Aging doesn’t automatically mean we need to stop driving, of course.”, says Jay Wasack, president of AlwaysConnected Solutions and Tennessee’s only Certified Beyond Driving with Dignity Professional. “However, to drive safely, it does mean that we have to pay attention to any warning signs that age is interfering with our driving safety and make appropriate adjustments. By reducing risk factors and incorporating safe driving practices, many of us can continue driving safely long into our senior years.”

A NHTSA study of 2008 FARS (Fatal Accident Reporting System) data reports that senior citizens accounted for:
5% of all people injured in traffic crashes
13% of all traffic fatalities
13% of all vehicle occupant fatalities
18% of all pedestrian fatalities

About Beyond Driving with Dignity program.
The Beyond Driving with Dignity program was designed by Keeping Us Safe (http://www.keepingussafe.org). It was specifically designed to help families by providing a “roadmap to success” in the quest to overcome the challenges of an older driver’s safety. It is designed to be used by families as a tool to determine the senior driver’s ability to remain a safe driver or to identify alternatives, resources and a specific plan should driving retirement be necessary.


About AlwaysConnected Solutions
At AlwaysConnected Solutions, we understand the value of independence. That’s why we’re committed to providing affordable, practical solutions for improving the safety of seniors and those with disabilities who chose to live independently.
Rather than just sell products, the company offers solutions whether it’s a technology aid or an education program. The company collaborates with various different caregiving companies in the greater Nashville area to provide a technology extension of those companies.  AlwaysConnected Solutions is located in Brentwood, TN.

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At AlwaysConnected Solutions, we understand the value of independence. That’s why we’re committed to providing affordable, practical solutions for improving the safety of seniors and those with disabilities who chose to live independently.