Pennsylvania has a network of shared-ride service providers dedicated to keeping older adults mobile, safe, and engaged in their community. This transportation program allows citizens age 65 and up to ride for free on a local, fixed-route service whenever local public transportation is operating.

Additionally, working with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and transit agencies, PennDOT recently developed an online tool called Find My Ride, which allows older drivers to access free ride services online. Find My Ride is designed to allow transit agencies to process applications more efficiently, so users can access benefits more quickly. Find My Ride is available at http://www.findmyride.penndot.pa.gov.

While every person ages differently, aging typically brings certain - sometimes subtle - physical, visual, and cognitive changes that could impair a person's ability to drive safely. Older drivers and their families should work together to identify potential issues that may affect driving, outline courses of action to assist the older driver, and plan for when it is time to hang up the keys.

Signs that can indicate it may be time to limit or stop driving altogether include feeling uncomfortable, fearful, or nervous when driving; unexplained dents or scrapes on the car or on fences, mailboxes, or garage doors; frequently getting lost and frequent "close calls" such as almost crashing; slower response times, particularly to unexpected situations; difficulty paying attention to signs or staying in one's lane of traffic; and trouble judging gaps at intersections or highway entrance and exit ramps.

Older drivers and their loved ones are encouraged to review PennDOT's Seniors Driving Safely publication series, which can be downloaded for free at http://www.penndot.pa.gov under Travel in PA by selecting Safety and then Traffic Safety & Driver Topics. These publications are intended to help older drivers assess their abilities and to offer guidance on next steps if a driver's medical condition is reported to PennDOT. The series also includes a publication designed to guide family and friends of older drivers in conversations about deciding to stop driving, as well as information for health care providers on PennDOT's medical reporting program.

Several safe-driving habits, which should be routine at any age, may be especially useful to older drivers. Drivers should plan ahead and make lengthy car trips during daylight hours. Morning may be best because people may not be as tired as they are in the afternoon. Drivers should avoid driving during rush hour, if possible, and avoid roads that tend to get congested. When driving long distances, especially in winter, drivers should call ahead for weather and road condition updates. Drivers should look far down the road and make adjustments before encountering problems that may involve other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, or animals. Maintaining a safe speed is important and depends on what the road is like, how well the driver can see, how much traffic there is, and how fast traffic is moving. Drivers should keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of them. The "Pennsylvania Driver's Manual" advises that drivers always keep a 4-second gap between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them.

Additional information on senior driver safety and mobility resources is available at both http://www.dmv.pa.gov/Driver-Services/Mature-Drivers and http://www.aging.pa.gov under Programs and Services and then Transportation.