Otter Tail County to offer free CarFit clinic for older drivers

Otter Tail County Public Health is bringing a free CarFit clinic to Fergus Falls on Wednesday, June 24, giving older drivers a chance to check whether their vehicles are set up for safer, more comfortable driving. The clinic will run from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Community Hockey Arena parking lot, 340 N. Friberg Ave., and residents are encouraged to reserve a 30-minute time slot in advance.

CarFit is built around a simple idea: the way a driver fits into a vehicle can affect visibility, control and comfort every time that person gets behind the wheel. The program is a community education effort developed through AARP, the American Occupational Therapy Association and AAA, and AOTA says it has served more than 50,000 seniors since 2005. AOTA describes CarFit as a 12-point checklist-based program for older drivers that focuses on the person-vehicle fit, not on judging whether someone can still drive.

At the clinic, volunteers will look at details many drivers ignore until they become a problem. That includes seat position, mirror placement, steering wheel distance, steering wheel tilt, seat belt positioning and head restraint placement. CarFit says volunteers will not make changes to a personal vehicle during the event, but they may recommend adjustments that could improve the fit.

The event is designed to move quickly. CarFit says a standard appointment takes about 20 minutes from the moment a driver pulls in until leaving, which fits within Otter Tail County’s 30-minute reservation window and leaves time for check-in and discussion. The county says the clinic will also provide information on safe driving courses and on medication and driving, adding a health component that can matter for older adults managing prescriptions while staying mobile.

The need is not abstract. CarFit says its pilot testing in 2005 involved more than 300 older driver participants in 10 cities, and more than one-third had at least one critical safety issue that needed attention. About 10% were seated too close to the steering wheel, and about 20% did not have a line of sight at least 3 inches over the wheel. Those are the kinds of small, fixable problems that can affect confidence and safety on Fergus Falls streets and on longer drives across Otter Tail County.