Agencies outlined programs designed to help older drivers stay safe and mobile in Pennsylvania.

YORK, Pa. — Pennsylvania transportation and public safety officials highlighted driving resources and offered safety tips for the state’s 2.3 million older drivers at an event in York on Wednesday. 

The event was part of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week and emphasized mobility, independence and the growing need for support as the population ages. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, more than 26% of the state’s 9.1 million licensed drivers are 65 or older. 

Leaders from PennDOT, the Department of Aging, Pennsylvania State Police, the Insurance Department and AAA met with residents Wednesday at the White Rose Senior Center in York to outline programs intended to help older adults stay safe and mobile.

PennDOT officials stressed that their aims are to make sure older drivers are safe, not take away their ability to drive. 

“A lot of people think that, once you reach a certain age, that PennDOT is here to take your license away,” PennDOT spokesperson Fritzi Schreffler said. “There is a lot of people who are younger who maybe shouldn’t be driving, and just because you reach a certain age does not mean that you are not qualified to drive.”

“Mobility is essential to quality of life at any age, especially as friends and families gather to celebrate the holiday season,” PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Larry Shifflet said.

Shifflet said PennDOT aims to balance roadway safety with drivers’ need for independence and autonomy.

State officials noted that Pennsylvania recorded 21,986 crashes in 2024 involving at least one driver 65 or older, resulting in 308 deaths. Those incidents accounted for nearly 20% of all crashes and more than 27% of traffic fatalities. While older drivers have fewer crashes per driver compared to national averages, they experience more crashes per mile traveled.

Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich said ensuring older adults remain connected to their communities is a priority for the Shapiro administration. 

“Driver safety and working with our partners to provide accessible and flexible transportation alternatives are important parts of how older adults navigate in our community,” Kavulich said, adding that lottery proceeds help fund those services.

Officials said that the state’s Senior Shared Ride Program provided more than 2.7 million trips during the 2024-25 fiscal year, and the Free Transit Program for Seniors offered more than 25 million fixed-route trips in the same period. 

Captain Adam Reed, assistant director of Community Outreach for the Pennsylvania State Police, said winter conditions, earlier nightfall and heavy holiday traffic can pose added risks. 

“Older drivers should make sure their eye exams are up-to-date and understand how prescribed medications could affect their driving,” Reed said.

PennDOT’s Seniors Driving Safely publication series offers guidance for older drivers, families and health care providers. Programs like CarFit, developed with AAA, AARP and other partners, help drivers assess how well they fit in their vehicles and identify adjustments that could improve safety.

Additional information, including mature driver courses and mobility resources, is available through PennDOT and the Department of Aging.