Way Back When
The Driving Experience 'Then' and 'Now'
By: Gunther Doerfert | Source: AARP.org | April 18, 2006
Though a driver's license was granted at age 16, often there was no car in which to learn to drive. Teenagers back then hadn't yet thought up the idea of a car of their own. By the time I reached age 16, our family car was a 1932 Ford Model A four door. After learning to drive it on dirt farm roads, I drove downtown to take my drivers test for an unrestricted license. It snowed hard that day and during the driving test I got stuck in deep snow while driving across Main Street. The examiner jumped out of the car, shouted "you failed" and left me to my own devices. A week later I went back and passed the exam.
Back then automobile safety, at best, was a vague idea for the auto designers. Car interiors had many sharp corners, projecting mirrors, pointy control knobs, and a hard steering wheel. But as there were few vehicles and low speeds, crashes were few and, even without seatbelts, injuries were minor. In, fact, the heavy iron used to form the auto bodies provided good protection for the occupants.
And there was no air conditioning. We drove with the windows open in the summer and got mighty dirty on a 10-mile trip. In the winter we had a tiny heater and a electric fan was mounted on the dashboard to de-ice and de-fog the windshield. Most every car had wool blankets to warm the passengers.
While today's "four-on-the-floor" is a fun option, back then a three speed stick shift and a clutch were a challenge to master. Tires had inner tubes and frequently went flat. On one Sunday's 60 mile outing to Buffalo we had to stop 5 times to pump up the tires, or worse, dismount them and patch the tube. Today we expect to go 60,000 miles without tire trouble. And the inner tubes are now used for water sports.
As the automobile industry became the number one business the manufacturers, insurers, governments, and public pressure groups joined to make constant improvement in all facets of safety. Today's safety belts, front and side air bags, ABS brakes, automatic shift, halogen lights, safety glass, security door locks, and other features are there to save lives and injury. Improved roadways, traffic controls, signage and driver education information has also contributed to fewer deaths and injuries. But with fast acceleration, high horsepower engines, DUI drivers, aggressive drivers, higher travel speeds and more traffic we still kill more than 42,000 persons a year and cause injuries to over 2.9 million more.
Yes, today's cars get safer, larger, easier to drive, and more comfortable with each new model year. Meanwhile, we drivers get older and at times less safe. Drivers over age 80 have the second highest fatality rate on the road, with most of these injuries due to our increased fragility. Our hearing declines to levels making it difficult to notice unsafe conditions. So does our sight, suppleness, and reaction time. We are distracted easily by multiple sounds, heavy traffic, street signs and signals, pedestrians and that "new" electronic thing they call a cell phone/camera. Luxury vehicles have electronic maps flashing at the driver. And in-vehicle TV is a reality, too.
So what can we older drivers do to be safer and enjoy our independence and mobile freedom for many more years? A first step is to become a more aware driver. The AARP Driver Safety Program has helped more than 9 million older drivers remain independent and safe on today's roads. Program graduates report changing their driving behaviors as a result of the course, and many receive an automobile discount as well.
Gunther Doerfert is an Auto Safety Columnist and Former Regional Coordinator for the AARP Driver Safety Program
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