There could be senior friendly cars being developed over the next few years, thanks to research being done at the University of Western Ontario.
That is the aim of Doctor Lynn Shaw, an assistant professor in Occupational Therapy.
She says they have developed a tool to help seniors make better choices in automobiles and safety features, and now are testing that tool with senior volunteers.
Doctor Shaw says for older drivers there are all sorts of problems with the design of today’s cars, from heavy doors that are hard to reach, to seatbelts that fit badly and poor lighting in dashboards.
She says as people age, their mobility decreases so just getting into or out of a car can be difficult.
Doctor Shaw says decreased vision means that glare on the windshield can be an issue, and small warning lights on the dashboard could create problems as well.
She says as the population in Grey Bruce ages, car makers will have to produce more senior friendly vehicles and older drivers will have to become more conscious about the choices they make when purchasing a car.
Doctor Shaw says at the moment there is really no senior friendly car, and she wants the manufacturers that adapts to the seniors needs, rather than the seniors having to adapt to what’s in the vehicle.
She says after testing this tool over the summer months, they hope to have a detailed check list prepared by the end of the year that seniors can use to determine what is the right vehicle for them.
