Gadgets can help keep older drivers safe and on the road

Dear Savvy Senior: Do you know of any car gadgets that can help older drivers? I have arthritis in my neck, back and knees, making it more difficult to get in and out of the car and look over my shoulder to back up. — Almost 80

Dear Almost: To help keep older drivers safe and extend their driving years, there are a number of inexpensive products that can easily be added to your vehicle to help with many different needs. Here are some popular auto aids to consider:

Entry and exit aids

For mobility challenged seniors who have a difficult time entering and exiting a vehicle, there are a variety of support handles and special seat cushions that can help.

Some examples include the Stander HandyBar ($40, stander.com), which is a portable support grab bar that inserts into the U-shaped striker plate on the doorframe, and the CarCaddie ($20), a nylon support handle that buckles around the top of the door window frame. Stander also has an auto-swivel seat cushion ($40) that rotates 360 degrees to help drivers and passengers pivot their body into and out of their vehicle.

Rear vision improvements

For those with neck and back problems that hamper their ability to look over the shoulder to back up or merge into traffic, there are special mirrors you can add as well as backup cameras.

To widen rear visibility and eliminate blind spots, Verivue Mirrors (verivuemirrors.com) offers the universal 12-inch panoramic rearview mirror ($13) that clips onto existing rearview mirrors, along with a variety of blind spot mirrors ($5 for two), which are small convex mirrors that stick to the corner of the sideview mirrors.

Another helpful device is the Auto-vox CS-2 wireless backup camera kit ($120, auto-vox.com). This comes with a night- vision camera that attaches to the rear license plate and a small monitor that mounts to the dash or windshield.

Seat belt extenders

For plus-sized people or those with mobility problems, there are seat belt extension products that can make buckling up a little easier. For example, Seat Belt Extender Pros offers vehicle-specific seat belt extenders ($13 to $26, seatbeltextenderpros.com) that fit into the buckle receiver to add a few inches of length, making them easier to fasten.

Gripping devices

If you have arthritis that makes gripping difficult or painful, consider the SEG Direct steering wheel cover ($17), which makes the wheel larger, softer and easier to grip. And for help twisting open tight gas caps, the gas cap and oil cap opener by Gascapoff ($17) is a long-handled tool that works like a wrench to loosen and tighten gas caps.

Professional help

If you need more assistance, consider contacting a driver rehabilitation specialist trained to evaluate elderly drivers and provide safety and driving equipment suggestions.

To locate a driver rehabilitation specialist in your area, visit ADED.net or MyAOTA.aota.org/driver_search.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.