Older Drivers Awareness Week 2019

Dorset Older Drivers Forum is running an awareness week from Monday 30th September to Saturday 5th October 2019.

The forum has received public backing by Lord Julian Fellows and is made up of experts in road safety from across Dorset, with representatives from emergency services, charities, local authorities and other specialists.

We will be offering training, advice and guidance for those motorists who are keen to continue driving safely and resources for those who feel that the time is right for them to ‘retire’ from getting behind the wheel.

The scheme aims to inform older drivers about the risks they face and ways to reduce them, help to identify when the time has come to retire from driving and offer relevant advice, give advice to family and friends and those within the medical profession.

A series of launch event will take place next week, where officers from the Dorset Police traffic department as well as other members of the forum, will be on hand to speak to older members of the community and their families.

Lord Julian Fellows, who is backing the scheme said: “The Older Drivers’ Forum is about keeping people behind the wheel for as long as they can reasonably and safely be there. The moment we should consider retiring from driving comes to all of us and it must be reassuring to learn that there are now so many alternative methods of transport available, so many more choices in how we can get around than there used to be, and we can help with these.

I think it’s hard for children, but there does come a time when it is actually loving to persuade your parent that their driving career should be drawing to a close. They have to have the strength and the love to take that through.”

Events will take place at the following locations:

Monday 30th September – Poole – ‘Meet n Greet‘ – Open 10am to 3pm
Dolphin Shopping Centre
Poole
BH15 1SZ

Tuesday 1st October – Dorchester – ‘Meet n Greet’ – Open 10am to 3pm
Tesco’s Dorchester
Weymouth Avenue
Dorchester
DT1 2RY

Wednesday 2nd – Weymouth – ‘Workshop‘ – Open 6.30pm to 9pm
Weymouth Safety Centre
Safewise – Weymouth
481 Radipole Lane
Weymouth
DT4 0QF

Saturday 5th October – Wimbourne – ‘Workshop’ – Open 10am to 3pm
Allendale Community Centre
Hanham Road
Wimbourne
BH21 1AS

Police Constable Heidi Moxam, road casualty reduction officer for Dorset Police said: “In 2016, we had 125 collisions on Dorset roads where the driver was 70 years old or over, resulting in 217 casualties, including three who sadly lost their life.

“It is vital we invest resources in helping older drivers to be safe on the road and provide guidance and support to those who need to consider alternative methods of transport.

“An alternative to prosecution will also be available for low level offences where a bespoke set of circumstances suggest the driver needs further motoring and health assessments.”

We welcome all drivers and their families to come and see us at the events where representatives from Wessex Drivability, Age UK, police, fire, opticians, local authorities and many more will be on hand to offer advice.