The Co-operators contributes to CanDrive scholarship

The Co-operators has donated $20,000 over two years to CanDRIVE, a research program dedicated to improving road safety for seniors.
CanDRIVE will use the funding to create The Co-operators Aging and Driving Fellowship to support graduate students’ research on older driver assessment tools.
“This research will ultimately improve the health, safety and independence of older drivers while making the roads safer for all,” The Co-operators said in a press release.
“Road safety rests on three pillars: the road, the vehicle and the driver,” Dr. Malcolm Man-Son-Hing of CanDRIVE said. “As a society, we invest millions to improve car and road design. What demands more attention is the human factor – particularly how medical conditions and medications affect driving ability.
“The Co-operators Aging and Driving Fellowship will help develop the next generation of researchers in this increasingly important area.”
CanDRIVE has more than 60 researchers at universities across Canada. It is a program of the Elisabeth Bruyre Research Institute, a partnership between the SCO Health Service and the University of Ottawa.
CanDRIVE’s ongoing projects include the development of science-based assessment methods to help physicians fairly and accurately determine whether older drivers are medically fit to drive.
Other projects underway are:
A critical assessment of the 55 Alive Driver Education Program’s effectiveness.
An investigation into the use of GPS monitoring and on-board diagnostic devices in older drivers’ vehicles.
A study of the impacts of licensing restrictions for older drivers.
“Only through research and innovation can we hope to fully grasp and respond to issues surrounding the aging process and our ability to drive,” said Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. “That’s why we’re pleased to sponsor CanDRIVE by funding this new fellowship to support the important research being done by Canadian graduate students.”