CarFit Helps Older Drivers Operate Vehicles Safely

CarFit Helps Older Drivers Operate 
Vehicles Safely

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - A CarFit Program was held at the Meridian Senior Center on Tuesday June 14th. CarFit is a program that helps seniors across the country learn how to safely utilize their vehicles.

Organizations that helped with the event included AARP, Sparrow Hospital and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Kimberly Lariviere, a Strategic Highway Safety Engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation volunteered at the event.

"This is a safe mobility to get them fitted in their car so that they can drive as long as safely possible and we help them with this event by doing that," said Lariviere.

Volunteers help older drivers make adjustments that make their vehicles safer such as adjusting their mirrors.

An occupational therapist also assists at the event.

Mike Oconnor, the occupational therapist volunteer at the event talked about helping drivers with the technological aspects of their vehicles.

"Maybe they're driving a new vehicle and technology has changed so rapidly just in terms of what's on the dashboard of the vehicles we drive today. So for some people it's even just those adjustments of where to make the adjustments in the steering wheel, where to make the adjustments in the seats where it's literally just their awareness of a vehicle that may be a newer vehicle for them."

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