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Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers can contribute to the safety of those aging and medically at-risk drivers with functional impairments to driving. The following resources are specifically designed for law enforcement.
A Compendium of Law Enforcement Older Driver Programs (NHTSA)
The Compendium was generated from interviews conducted in 2002-2003 with law enforcement agencies that responded to a NHTSA information request. It serves as a resource guide of older driver programs developed to assist law enforcement agencies and as a clearinghouse for older driver programs in law enfocement.
NHTSA Offers Older Driver Awareness Training for Law Enforcement
The older population is the fastest-growing segment of the population. Most trips by seniors are in cars, either as passengers or as drivers. For the most part, older people are safe drivers, and they try to limit their risks. However, officers will encounter more and more seniors in traffic stops, and they will have to determine whether the person simply made a mistake, if the driver should be referred, or if immediate intervention is necessary. Most officers across the country have not received training on how to make that determination.
Last Fall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) released the Older Driver Law Enforcement Course. The course was developed with the help of IADLEST and enforcement agencies that have tried to make a difference with their older driver populations.
The older driver law enforcement course has 4 key messages:
- Be sensitive to older people and age-related changes;
- Write the cite - being sensitive doesn't mean that officers should look the other way;
- Make a referral - making referrals to the DMV or to Aging services is critically important;
- Make a difference - The last module (on community relations) is about making a difference in the community, getting engaged with seniors before there's a traffic stop through volunteering, traffic safety courses, SALT programs, etc.
To find out more about the course, contact the NHTSA Regional Office for your State.
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