Free CarFit event in Two Harbors helps older drivers stay safe

Older drivers in Lake County will have a free chance to make sure their vehicle fits them, not the other way around, when CarFit comes to the Two Harbors Fire Hall on June 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. The hands-on check is built for people who want to keep driving safely and comfortably, and each fitting is expected to take about 20 minutes.

The event lands in a county where the need is hard to ignore. Lake County drivers age 65 and older made up 27.4% of the driving population from 2020 to 2024, far above Minnesota’s 16.8% average. In a place where long stretches of road, winter weather and everyday errands can depend on a car, that age mix makes vehicle-fit checks more than a convenience.

CarFit is not a lecture. The program uses a 12-point safety checklist to see how well a driver fits a personal vehicle, then occupational therapists help identify small adjustments that can improve comfort, visibility and control. The national initiative is sponsored by AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, and AOTA says it has served more than 50,000 seniors since it began.

Registration is requested so appointments can be scheduled, and the free format is meant to remove a common barrier for older adults who might otherwise skip a safety check because of cost. The setting is practical, too. Two Harbors is Lake County’s seat and the home base for county service center and emergency-management functions, making the fire hall a fitting location for a program focused on immediate, real-world safety.

CarFit also fits into a bigger traffic-safety effort. Lake County Toward Zero Deaths is part of Minnesota’s Northeast Region TZD network, which brings together education, enforcement, emergency medical and trauma services, engineering and community partners. MnDOT calls Toward Zero Deaths the state’s cornerstone traffic-safety program, and says traffic-related deaths have declined 27% from 2003 through 2024.

That larger picture matters because the goal is not just to react after crashes happen. It is to prevent them by addressing the small details that affect whether an older driver can see clearly, reach comfortably and stay in control. For Lake County, a 20-minute check in Two Harbors is a direct step toward keeping more people on the road safely longer.