Keeping Us Safe’s Nationally Recognized "Older Driver Safety" Initiatives

Feb. 16, 2012 - PRLog -- In advance of tonight’s episode of NBC Nightly News ( http://www.nbc.com/ ) with Brian Williams ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/ ), please note the work Keeping Us Safe has been doing in support of older drivers and their families.  

Keeping Us Safe ( http://www.keepingussafe.org ) is a national organization based in Cleveland, Ohio that provides services to older drivers and their families, as well as services for professionals that may find themselves involved with the issue of an older driver’s diminishing skills.  

Keeping Us Safe has developed the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification program ( http://www.keepingussafe.org/linked/brochurebddprofessionalcertification020712.pdf ).  

This training program was designed to provide professionals with the additional tools necessary to help older drivers and their families work through the complicated issue of diminishing driving skills caused by the aging process.  

To date, Keeping Us Safe has “Beyond Driving with Dignity” professionals trained and deployed in eight states.  During the month of March, this certification program is being offered in Los Angeles, Tampa and Seattle.  In May, 2012, the program will be presented in Toronto, effectively making Keeping Us Safe an international organization.

The “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program is not built around the premeditated goal of “taking the keys away” from an older driver.  

Matt Gurwell ( http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgurwell ), Founder & CEO of Keeping Us Safe and a retired Ohio State Trooper, explains “the program is designed to help the older driver and concerned family members make appropriate decisions on the future of the individual’s safe driving career.  It is true that in certain circumstances, this may involve assisting the older driver in making a smooth and permanent transition from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat.”

The certification program is based on Keeping Us Safe’s self-assessment program for older drivers, along with the recently published “Beyond Driving with Dignity; The workbook for the families of older drivers” ( http://www.keepingussafe.org/beyonddrivingwithdignitywork... ).

Earlier this week, Keeping Us Safe launched a new program to train law enforcement personnel nationwide titled "Driving Under the Influence of Dementia" ( http://www.prlog.org/11796871-retired-ohio-state-trooper-... ).  Gurwell and his company developed this unique training program as a way to give-back to the law enforcement community, and to simultaneously help keep the nation’s communities safer.  

When asked what prompted the development of the Beyond Driving with Dignity program, Gurwell explains "It was the result of 20-plus years of holding dying people in my arms at terrible car accidents, and delivering dozens and dozens of death notifications to families. I would much rather work with families to bring a peaceful resolve to this sensitive and uncomfortable issue now, rather than have them deal with it when a State Trooper is knocking on their front door".

More information on the Certification program is available at:  
http://www.keepingussafe.org/linked/brochurebddprofessionalcertification020712.pdf

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