Older road user planning can never start too soon as it is easier to engage and help someone before it is a crisis. In fact, as you work through this process with a family member or individual you care for, you may want to prepare your own plan as this joint effort can make it easier to engage the one you support and also provide you with the roadmap you need as you age.
Road user planning considers the lifestyle of each individual and their needs for getting to appointments, running errands, and enjoying an active life in their community. When starting transportation planning, you will want to overlay the transportation options in your community with your transportation needs. Transportation options vary from community to community to include public transportation, private transportation, carpooling/ride sharing, and informal supports of family and friends. Developing a budget to plan for using various transportation options available (and comparing those costs to the costs of maintaining a vehicle) can also be helpful. The goal for each individual is to support their desired level of independence and community engagement with the transportation support they need for safety and peace of mind.
The ChORUS Older Driver Transportation Planning Tool provides a checklist and easy access to resources to help plan for independence at each stage of driving ability.
The Plan For the Road Make a Transportation Plan provides an interactive tool to help users develop a safe driver plan specific to their needs.