With winter on the way, several programs are in the works to help keep older drivers safe and behind the wheel longer.
A program in New Lenox puts teens to work for the cause, and gives them some hands on experience at the same time.
Offered by the New Lenox Safe Community Coalition, adults over age 60 can have their vehicles inspected for free from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, and Thursday, Nov. 10, by students at Lincoln-Way Central High School’s Auto Shop, 1801 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox.
Appointments are required and can be made by calling 815-462-6493 or emailing [email protected]. Those who sign up must select a preferred time slot and supply their vehicle’s year, make and model.
“This is the fourth year our school has participated in this event,” said Beth McNamara, principal at Lincoln-Way Central which serves 1,960 students. “We decided to do this because we saw it as something positive to help the community, and we thought it would give the kids a chance to learn and give back.”
Last week, six students in the Automotive I class were preparing to do just that in the school’s three-bay auto shop. As practice, they inspected a 2005 Toyota Corolla under the watchful eye of automotive instructor Tony Ogarek, a master-level Automotive Service Excellence mechanic with years of experience in the auto industry and a master’s degree in education.
The students examined the car’s windshield wipers, belts and hoses, and checked tires for proper inflation and wear. They tested lights and turn signals, checked levels of engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid, and analyzed coolant strength for freeze protection. They load-tested the battery and put the car on a lift to examine its suspension and front end parts.
The effort revealed rusted transmission lines in need of replacement, tires in need of rotation, a battery with adequate function but bulging sides that was at the end of its life span. They also found evidence of a slight engine oil leak.
Holding a clipboard, Denny Shanahan, a junior, filled out a form noting the early steps of the inspection.
“I see it as providing a lesson in life skills that could save a person money,” he said.
Joe Van Kuren, a senior, tested the car’s coolant using a transparent device containing colorful floaters. Working with the others, he also checked the car’s air filter, engine oil and underside.
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Like Shanahan and Van Kuren, Aaron Darnall, a senior, seemed totally engaged in the hands-on lesson. So did eight other students charged with performing an oil change and other maintenance tasks on a Mustang, Kia and Chevy Cavalier belonging to faculty members and others who brought their cars in for the inspections.
“I like this class because nothing is ever the same. There’s always a different vehicle,” said Darnall, whose grandparents and parents inspired his love for cars. “I even brought my truck in to get checked out.”
Alyssa Marchi, a senior and one of two girls in the class, said, “I took this class because I like to work with my hands, and I like learning different things.”
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 offers three automotive classes as electives. The district’s vocational-level automotive class counts as credit for an entry-level class at Joliet Junior College, said Ogarek, who also teaches automotive classes at Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort and sits on the college’s automotive advisory board.
“My goal is to give a baseline foundation for students,” Ogarek said. “There are 330 million registered cars in the United States. Which means there are plenty of opportunities for work and plenty to learn.”
Other elements of modern vehicles are helping to keep people driving longer, as well.
Automated safety features on newer cars, such as blind spot warnings, drowsy driver alerts and emergency response systems, are on the agenda during a program for older adults wanting to learn about these new features. Frank Pearman, of Lemont, will be conducting an AARP Smart DriverTEK workshop organized by Stickney Township.
Trained as an AARP volunteer, Pearman has an abiding interest in technology as well as driver safety. He retired after working as a British Royal Air Force avionics technician and 28 years with AT&T. While in his early 20s, he passed the rigorous driving test required to become a member of the United Kingdom’s Institute of Advanced Motorists, now known as IAM RoadSmart.
The free 90-minute Smart Driver TEK workshop is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the LSV Senior Center, 7745 S. Leamington Ave., Burbank. Registration is with the LSV Senior Center at 708-636-8850.
Susan DeGrane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.