Fallon Deatherage-Bradley
News Editor
ISU’s occupational therapy students had the opportunity to participate in the 10th annual CarFit event on Sept. 24.
CarFit is a program that was created by the American Society of Aging in partnership with AAA, the American Occupational Therapy Association and AARP. It uses a twelve-point checklist to ensure that the vehicle of an older driver fits in order to ensure safe driving. The event was also important for ISU’s occupational therapy students.
“I think it gives us a chance to showcase the expertise occupational therapists have,” said Ted Peterson, Clinical Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy. “Part of the CarFit event is talking to occupational therapy students as people come through.”
Students received specific CarFit training on Sept. 20 in preparation for the event. A CarFit inspection takes about 20 minutes to complete but the results can be lifesaving.
According to the CarFit website, typically 37 percent of drivers who take advantage of the program had at least one critical safety issue that needed addressed. ISU students helped 50 people become safer drivers.
While older drivers tend to be less likely to speed, wear seatbelts or engage in risky driving behaviors, the greatest risk is that they are far more likely to be seriously injured in an accident. Ensuring that their vehicle fits them reduces the risk of an accident and reduces the risk of serious injury in the event of a crash.
A few things that occupational therapists look for during a CarFit inspection are line of sight, position of pedals, distance between chest and steering wheel, mirror adjustments, ignition systems and operation of vehicle controls.
It’s reported that nearly 10 percent of elderly drivers are seated too close to the steering wheel, which increases the chance of injury in the event of air bag deployment. Nearly 20 percent don’t have a clear line of sight above the steering wheel which can significantly increase the chances of an accident.
It’s important for occupational therapists to be involved in the CarFit process since any adaptive equipment must be tailored to the individual in order to be implemented safely.
More information about the importance of proper vehicle fit or more CarFit events can be found at car-fit.org.
