Sunshine Club

California Highway Patrol Officer Mitchell Smith will give a presentation to the Sunshine Club titled “Age Well, Drive Smart” on Friday, Feb. 16, in Clubhouse 3, Room 2, at 10 a.m. Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that senior citizens involved in traffic collisions tend to be more vulnerable than younger people, meaning that seniors suffer more severe injuries.

Crash prevention and in-vehicle occupant protection have become urgent needs for seniors. The impact of aging on driving ability varies widely, but senior drivers need to know that gradual effects on vision, flexibility, and response times may compromise safety and eventually require them to stop driving.

To educate mature drivers, California Highway Patrol offers the Age Well, Drive Smart program statewide. It covers:

• How to improve driving skills.

• Knowledge of rules of the road.

• Normal, age-related physical changes and how to adjust to them.

• When it may be time to limit or stop driving.

• Understanding the alternatives to driving. This approximately two hour class is offered free of charge. The CHP Westminster area is starting a Senior Volunteer Program that Smith will speak to residents about.

For more information about the club, contact Anna Derby at 562-301-5339.