ADVOCACY
Checking Your CarFit
Enhance comfort and safety by learning how to set your car’s adjustable features.
By Lisa van de Geyn
In New Brunswick, drivers meet with specialists at a CarFit event. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRENDA GRANT
WHETHER YOU’RE A NEW DRIVER or you’ve put more kilometres on vehicles past and present than you’d care to admit, you’ve probably developed a routine for getting into your car. But when was the last time you got in and really evaluated the fit of your seat, the tilt of your mirrors, the angle of the steering wheel? Most drivers — especially older drivers — could greatly benefit from a refresher when it comes to how to use their car’s ergonomic controls to maximize personal comfort and safety.
Enter the CarFit program — a national organization which aims to help drivers make the most of their vehicle’s safety features. “While older drivers are among the safest on the road — they’ve been driving for a long time, they’re not participating in unsafe behaviours and they wear their seatbelts — there are certain diagnoses as we age that we have to face, like changes in vision and flexibility,” says Brenda Grant, an occupational therapist (OT) and CarFit’s program coordinator. What’s more, ever-changing technology has complicated the practice of driving for some people. “There’s a big difference from the bench seats we used to have to chairs with tons of possible adjustments, and there are many new safety features like blind-spot warnings. But if you’re not aware of how to use these types of technologies, they could be distracting or disruptive to driving.”
“This is about offering a fun, educational way to learn more about your car and to help you continue driving safely.”
The right seat height and angle, in addition to a few accessory adjustments, can help create a safer and more comfortable environment for the driver. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CAA
CarFit runs free events across the country. Drivers can spend 20 minutes with a trained technician to run through a 12-point checklist that looks at factors like mirrors, field of vision, seatbelt fit and steering wheel position. (Can’t make it out? There are virtual clinics available, too.) OTs are on-site to solve problems when necessary. “They use their clinical skills to help make those final adjustments. They can also look at assistive devices and assess how to make drivers who use them more comfortable,” says Grant. “This is about offering a fun, educational way to learn more about your car and to help you continue driving safely.” CAA