Occupational Therapy Students Help Older Adults in East Oakland Drive Safer

Students and faculty from the Department of Occupational Therapy (DOT) at Samuel Merritt University (SMU) helped dozens of older adults adjust their car seats and steering wheels as part of a national effort to promote driver safety.

SMU students hosted the free “CarFit” event at Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland in early April. April also celebrates National OT Month. 

CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to find out how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. The program provides information and materials on community-specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community.

CarFit was developed by the American Society on Aging, AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association. By 2030, an estimated 58.9 million residents will be 65 and older, representing 1 in 4 licensed drivers on the road. Personal mobility is critical for healthy aging, but as our bodies change as we age, ill-fitting vehicles can make it uncomfortable and unsafe to drive.

SMU students in the master of occupational therapy program served as volunteer “technicians” to help drivers and their families work through a 12-point checklist that included adjusting seats, finding proper steering wheel placement, and discussing proper safety belt usage. Each assessment took about 20 minutes.

“As we age, changes in our vision, flexibility, strength, range of motion and even size and height may make us less comfortable and reduce our control behind the wheel,” said Ginny Gibson, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at SMU. “Our students, through the CarFit program, can help provide older adults with the tools to understand and apply the safety features of their car.” 

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