The education of the elderly
In recent years, more attention has been given to the elderly road users. The reason for this renewed focus is the heavy aging of the population in Finland. Especially the number of driving senior citizens is rising sharply. Liikenneturva co-operates, for instance, with retiree and veteran organisations, social and health sector, municipal elderly citizens’ councils, trainers specialising in issues relating to the elderly as well as the media.
Liikenneturva has many available tools for the education of the elderly_autoillenkaikenikaa.jpg)
Self-study material directed at the elderly drivers.
Elderly driver’s fitness course which is suitable for all drivers over 65. The objective of the course is to increase self awareness, to help understand the effects of aging on driving ability and the driving itself and to provide information about the typical dangerous situations faced by senior drivers – as well as how to avoid risky scenarios.
The elderly driver’s check-up is an evaluation event arranged in connection with fair and education activities. Working in unison with the local driving schools, the elderly are given the opportunity to receive a traffic teacher’s evaluation of their driving. The check-up is meant for seniors who can cope in traffic and it is educational and guiding by its nature; it can not be used to single out people with lacking driving skills.
Elderly driver’s self-evaluation -guidebook features 27 questions that help the driver to evaluate one’s own coping in traffic. The guidebook includes a test which tells the driver whether he/she should see a doctor for further examination or let a driving school instructor evaluate one’s driving performance. The guidebook also provides guidelines for safe driving.
The guidebook can be used for purposes of self-study and as additional course material. There are 32 pages, and the book costs EUR 0,50. The guidebook is mailed through Finnish Vehicle Administration AKE without charge to every 70-year-old who has renewed his/her license.
’Cardiovascular disease in traffic’ content is directed at people suffering from heart disease as well as their relatives. In addition, education material has been produced for various events arranged for the benefit of heart patients. Both the booklet and the education material include survival tips for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike.
Liikenneturva has devised materials
for the mapping out of dangerous locations.The process is conducted by the elderly themselves. The mapping-out process provides the municipalities with valuable information regarding the challenges senior citizens face in traffic. The process is helpful with regards to making of the municipal traffic safety and accessibility plans as well as geriatric policies. The evaluations can also be attached to various plans of action.
The course leaders are expected to have a thorough grounding in the needs and problems of elderly drivers and a good awareness of the behaviour of elderly drivers in traffic and of the training needs of these drivers. The instructor training arranged by The Central Organization for Traffic Safety in Finland for driving instructors takes the form of a two-day course focusing on the elderly as drivers and their learning aptitude and training needs. The course material for the Fitness Course for Elderly Drivers is also presented to the future instructors and guidance given in its use.
So far, about 50 instructors throughout Finland have been trained as course leaders by The Central Organization for Traffic Safety in Finland. Two further training courses have also been organized for driving instructors in cooperation with the Driving Instructor Education unit at the Häme Polytechnic Vocational Teacher Education College.
The Central Organization for Traffic Safety in Finland keeps in touch with those belonging to its own instructor network by sending them a regular six-monthly bulletin. This has also allowed instructors to be supplied with the latest research and statistical information, new material and overhead transparencies. Instructors have thus been able to maintain their motivation and to keep up to date on matters pertaining to elderly drivers.
