Resources for Law Enforcement

Older drivers want to drive safely and are not opposed to fair and unbiased evaluations. The majority of older drivers are not problem drivers; they are merely people who need basic transportation. Elder citizens trust police officers, and officers can help a driver steer clear of harm’s way on the road by:

• Providing a referral to a local assistance agency that coaches and counsels older citizens on safe vehicle operation, or makes recommendations for other mobility options;
• Encouraging self-assessment;
• Offering driver refresher courses;
• Citing drivers who violate traffic laws; and
• Making referrals to the licensing agency.

Interventions with the family, partner, or friends:

• Acting as a trusted authority in evaluating driving safety;
• Supporting legal efforts to appropriately restrict or remove driving privileges; and
• Seeking information and assistance on the health and mobility situation of the older driver from loved ones.

Interventions with other community agencies:

• Offering the assistance of the law enforcement community in conducting safety programs.

Helping the Older Driver

The NHTSA publication, "Cues For Law Enforcement", provides information on ways to assist older drivers and can accessed at this link:  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/olddrive/lawcues.html

The AMA Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers can be accessed at this link:  http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/10791.html

Review of medical conditions that may impact driving ability can be found at this link:  www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/433/chapter9.pdf

Read more about how aging affects driving ability on the Driving Skills web page.

Education and Training

NHTSA has developed a training course for law enforcement officers that include information on the aging process, how to conduct a traffic stop with an older driver, making referrals, and conducting an older driver community relations problem. The training can be scheduled by contacting the NHTSA regional office for Florida through this web site: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/whatis/regions/Region04/index.html

Other NHTSA resources on older driver safety issues can be accessed at this link:  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/
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DHSMV's Florida GrandDriver Program has educational Information for law enforcement and judicial officials, and it can be accessed at this link: http://www.floridagranddriver.com

Training on enforcement of bicycle and pedestrian laws can be found at this link:   http://www.walkinginfo.org/enforcement/training.cfm

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