CarFit Canada: Lessons learned from an international collaboration

Abstract

In many countries, older adults rely on driving to enable them to engage in daily occupations. Manufacturer installed motor vehicle safety devices work best when properly adjusted to each individual driver. CarFit is a free, drive-through, community event designed to improve public safety by improving vehicle-to-person fit, demonstrating simple adaptive devices, and advising about local driving resources. During a CarFit event, volunteers inform participants about evidence-based adjustments and allow them to practise these in their own car. Research shows that participants value and retain recommended changes long term. Developed through collaboration of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and two pre-eminent organisations dedicated to American driving (AAA) and seniors' issues (AARP), CarFit has been implemented in the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. This article describes how the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists in collaboration with the Canadian Automobile Association and with the help of AOTA brought CarFit to Canada.

Keywords:

• Seniors
• Driving
• Motor vehicle use
• Community mobility
• Public safety