April 10, 2018
Occupational therapy assistant students from American Career College helped senior drivers be safer and more comfortable behind the wheel at a CarFit event this April.
More than 20 OTA students and instructors helped inspect 17 vehicles and drivers at ACC-Orange County on April 10. OTA students went through a 12-point checklist to see if drivers needed to take action like adjusting their mirrors, seatbelts or steering wheel distance and height. Students also had conversations about driver safety and the correct way to enter and exit the vehicle.
"We help seniors fit into their cars better," ACC OTA instructor Christine Guevara said. "We take a look at the steering wheel, the seatbelts and the seat itself. We make recommendations for the seniors to move their car settings around so it best fits them and then they make the decision if that works for them or not."
Created by the American Society on Aging and developed in collaboration with the American Automobile Association, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, CarFit is an educational program to help older drivers discover how well they fit their personal vehicle.
"CarFit is a great way for our students to learn and help at the same time," Guevara said. "This is the program's second time participating and we are just getting started."
Ontario Campus: Voted Best Career College in the 2023 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Readers Choice Awards.
LA Campus: Voted Best Career College in the 2023 LA Daily News Readers Choice Awards.
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