Choosing the right car for senior drivers

Senior drivers or people with limited mobility need cars with particular features that make driving easier and more comfortable.

Among the features seniors should look for in a car, according to Consumer Reports:
* Front-seat access with wide opening, low step-in heights and low door sills.
* All-around visibility, with few blind spots.
* Easy-to-read gauges and intuitive controls for shifting, radio and heating and cooling.
* High-performing headlights.

New technology also offers some great boosts for senior drivers.

Forward-Collision Warnings provide visual, audible or tactile alerts to warn drivers of a collision with an object directly in their path.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), this technology can reduce rear-end accidents by 27 percent.

Automatic Emergency Braking senses a potential collision and starts braking for the driver if the driver does not react. IIHS data show this has reduced rear-end collisions by 50 percent.

Blind Spot Warning detects and warns the driver of vehicles traveling in a blind spot alongside the car.

Some new cars with many of these features include the Subaru Forester and Outback; the Chrysler Pacifica; Kia Sportage and Soul; Toyota Highlander and RAV4; Ford C-Max and Escape; Toyota Sienna and Corolla.