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Sometimes drivers do dumb things. Old and young, experienced and non, it's a just a matter of time before a driver makes a poor choice on the road, and Police Officer Ron Carosella has seen just about all of them.
Drivers over the age of 60 face increased risk of being involved in vehicular crashes, and the risk of driver fatality in older drivers increases sharply because they are more vulnerable to crash-related injuries and death. That's why Officer Carosella, a motor officer for 22 years with the Greenwich Police Department, is a teacher in Automobile Club of America's (AAA) Driver Improvement Programs. The classes are aimed toward older drivers. He says senior drivers, those 60 years and above, have a slightly higher chance of making driving mistakes than their younger counterparts. "I'm very frank when I tell participants that older drivers' skills begin to fade," he says. "It's across the board: vision, hearing, reaction time and strength. I'm going to be 60 years old myself this month and I know I'm not as sharp as I used to be."
Carosella, a 30-year Greenwich resident and motorcycle officer for 12 years, witnesses motor vehicle violations every day. "I see a lot of people making stupid mistakes," he says. "But hopefully our classes can remind people that sliding through a stop sign is not the same as coming to a full stop, or that not using a directional signal is a potentially dangerous lapse in judgment." At the very least, he says, such infractions are worthy of a ticket, but the reality is that they often lead to accidents.
In the class he urges attendees to use their common sense. He explains: "It's not rocket science. I tell them to be more conscious of the weather; not to drive at night and to avoid highly congested roads and highways."
But sometimes drivers' actions push the bounds of common sense and in fact defy logic. Carosella recalls the big storm this spring, during which hurricane-force winds swept through the area. "There are power lines down everywhere and roads closed," he said. "It was chaos. So a guy pulls up and asks me why there's a detour and I point to a tree sitting on top of a car. I ask him where he's going that's so urgent he needs to get there now. He tells me he's going to buy his newspaper..."
Connecticut drivers 60 and older who complete the program qualify for a discount on their auto insurance. Check with your insurance carrier. The class will run in Stamford, Tuesday, Sept. 7 and Wednesday, Sept. 9 and is free to AAA members; $20 for non-members. For more information, call Fran Mayko at 203-928-6509.
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