Safe driving for older workers

Roadway crashes are the leading cause of occupational fatalities for older workers in the U.S., with nearly 3,200 dying on public highways in a recent 10 year period.

Diminished vision, slower reaction times, declines in cognitive functioning and decreasing muscle strength are the causes of the accidents.

Employers can help older workers drive safely by:

* Assigning a key member of the management team to set and enforce a safe driver policy
* Enforce mandatory seat belt use
* Do not require workers to drive irregular hours or beyond their normal working times
* Assess their driving ability through regular physical exams
* Restrict driving based on assessment of actual driving ability
* Provide other job duties to workers whose driving ability is impaired