(LAGUNA HILLS, July 13, 2006) — A convenient one-stop location for senior driving resources was unveiled today (Thursday) at an open house at the Florence Sylvester Memorial Senior Center in Laguna Hills.
At the open house approximately 400 seniors took guided tours of the driving resource room and listened to speakers discussing tools and tips to help keep senior drivers on the road safer and longer.
"We hope the resource room will be a model for other senior centers throughout Southern California," said the Auto Club's Public Affairs Specialist Anita Lorz. "We've gathered as many local driving resources as possible and placed them in a convenient place to encourage seniors to monitor and work on their driving skills. We want to keep older drivers on the road as long as they are safe and hope the resource center will provide tools and tips to help make that happen," she added.
The Florence Sylvester Memorial Senior Center, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Center for Trauma Injury Prevention and Research and the Automobile Club of Southern California jointly developed the new senior driving resource center with a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The resource center features senior driver educational tools including computerized driving assessments, DVDs and videos, Dept. of Motor Vehicle driver licensing testing information, a self-administered vision screening test, other educational driving resources and supplemental transportation information, like bus service.
"This will be an important and permanent part of our center that's dedicated to senior driving," said Shirley Witt, director of the Florence Sylvester Memorial Senior Center. "We're encouraging seniors in our community to assess and practice safe driving skills through the online assessments, tests, and educational materials now available here."
Tours, displays and hands on exhibits of the senior driver resource center were featured throughout the open house. Presentations included "proper vehicle fit," "health, aging and driving," "driver licensing and testing," "vehicle care and maintenance," and "senior driver education." Representatives from the UCI Geriatrics Program, the Auto Club, Orange County Sheriffs Dept., the Laguna Hills DMV and AARP conducted the presentations.
The new Joyce Williams Senior Driver Resource Room is open weekdays from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the senior center located at 23721 Moulton Parkway. The Florence Sylvester Memorial Senior Center telephone number is (949) 380-0155.
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