Keeping seniors safe on the road: The CAA-Quebec Foundation seeks solutions

Press releases
Published on November 6, 2019

Growing old means having to deal with physical and cognitive changes that will eventually affect how comfortable seniors are behind the wheel. That’s normal! The CAA-Quebec Foundation reminds seniors that they need to be ready for these changes and that there are solutions for staying mobile, even after they hang up their keys. The Foundation’s guide There’s No Age Limit for Safe Driving is a valuable resource to help seniors and their loved ones:

  • Identify signs of at-risk behaviour
  • Learn about options for adapting a vehicle to give the driver better vision
  • Talk about the most pressing or sensitive issues and find ways to overcome resistance

Because Quebec has an aging population, the guide is more relevant than ever. According to CIRANO (Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis on Organizations), in 2017 almost 20% of the population was age 65 or older. By 2037, the figure will rise to 25%.[1] Although there are more elderly drivers than before, it’s reassuring to note that they are underrepresented in statistics on personal injury road accidents compared to young people age 16 to 24.[2]

Seniors are good role models because they’re experienced and they follow the Highway Safety Code. But for their own benefit and the benefit of their loved ones, they should be ready for whatever adjustments they need to make to stay safe behind the wheel for as long as possible.

Life goes on, even without a licence

Plenty of seniors shudder at the thought of having to give up their licence. They’re afraid of losing their freedom and independence. “That’s totally normal for people who have been free to come and go as they please for 40, 50, or 60 years,” said Marco Harrison, Director of the CAA-Quebec Foundation. “The key, for drivers and their loved ones, is being ready to deal with changes.”

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“Driving requires physical and cognitive health. Seniors can still be fully mobile even though they will have to hang up their keys at some point. They just need to have the right resources to plan ahead and deal with changes as they happen.”

- Marco Harrison, Foundation Director, CAA-Quebec Foundation

Hanging up the keys takes planning!

Before seniors start thinking about giving up their licence, the Foundation has suggestions for what they can do or how they can change their habits to ease into the transition:

And as mentioned in the CAA-Quebec Magazine editorial, friends and family have an essential role to play. They’ll want to be involved by keeping an eye out for at-risk behaviours such excessively slow speeds or repeated failure to comply with road signs. Being there to provide reassurance will make the transition easier and boost their loved one’s confidence going forward.

Second annual benefit lunch

“Seniors on the road” was the topic for the CAA-Quebec Foundation’s second annual benefit lunch on November 6. Almost 200 people, including members of the business community and road safety experts, attended the event at the Montreal Science Centre. The Foundation invited three special guests, Robert Poëti, CEO of Corporation des concessionnaires d’automobiles du Québec and the family member of a senior who has had to give up driving; Dr. David Lussier, a geriatrics specialist at Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal; and Marouane Bel Fakir, SAAQ regional road safety advisor. They shared their experience of supporting seniors who are in the process of hanging up their keys, a topic that raises a lot of concerns and is becoming more and more important.

About CAA-Quebec

The mission of the CAA-Quebec Foundation, created in 2008, is to help advance knowledge in the area of traffic safety. To that end, it conducts research and acts as a resource complementing other Quebec-based specialists and organizations active in the field. CAA-Quebec is a not-for-profit organization that assists each of its members by providing mobility, travel, insurance, and residential benefits, products, and services.

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[1] https://qe.cirano.qc.ca/theme/demographie/population/graphique-part-65-ans-plus-population

[2] Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec