Chances are your aging mom doesn’t identify one bit with the little old lady from Pasadena, especially not with the line in the song saying “She’s the terror of Colorado Boulevard.”

While some people really do become terrifying drivers as they age, the goal of most of them is to stay safe and comfortable while keeping their independence as long as possible. This is where the children of aging drivers come in: They can help steer their parents toward vehicles with features that work best for the physical and mental changes that age brings them.

What features should seniors look for when shopping for a new car? Here are suggestions from the American Automobile Association, based on its partnership with the University of Florida’s National Older Driver Research and Training Center:

• Tilt and telescoping steering wheel: This positions the driver at least 10 inches from the front airbag for added safety and also helps alleviate neck and shoulder pain

• Mirrors that provide wide visibility: This compensates for a limited range of motion, so the driver doesn’t need to turn to check for blind spots; drivers with arthritis will find power mirrors easier to adjust.

• Heated seats and lumbar support – great for an aching back.

• Six-way adjustable seats – helps short drivers to see over the steering wheel, makes it easier to get into and out of the car. Power seats make adjustments easier.

• Adjustable foot pedals – lets shorter drivers reach the pedals while remaining a safe distance from the airbag in the steering wheel hub.

• Extendable sun visors – helps mature drivers’ eyes adjust more easily to glare.

• Larger dashboard controls – bigger is better in that it makes them easier to see and use.

• Four doors: A sedan’s smaller and lighter doors close more easily than the wider and heavier ones on two-door models.

• Thick steering wheel: Ironically, a “sportier” steering wheel is easier for arthritic or weak hands to grip.

Now that you know what to shop for, it’s time for a pop quiz, also courtesy of the AAA. You’ll find it on the Internet at aaafoundation.org/quizzes; look for the “Older But Wiser?” link. The 15 multiple-choice questions query drivers about their attitudes and practices; the answers offer safety tips, even when the driver answers correctly.

Why assess your own or a parent’s driving ability? Because even the best automotive features can’t compensate for what is the most important auto-safety component: the motorist.

You can take the quiz yourself, of course, but if you give it to your mom or dad, do so gently. That’s a tender nudge from the American Association of Retired Persons, which urges children to assess their parents’ driving abilities realistically to help them stay safely independent as long as possible.

Keep track of your parent’s accidents, tickets or other indicators of driving performance. The acid test: Ride along with them. If you don’t feel safe in the passenger seat as an older parent drives, that’s an important indication that the time has come for a serious conversation. Danger signals include changing lanes without signaling, going through stop signs or red lights, trouble seeing road signs and signals, drifting into other lanes, going too slow, showing difficulty with left turns and jerky stops or starts.

Even if your parent’s an exemplary driver, ask what he or she needs to feel comfortable while driving. What would help him or her to feel safer or make driving easier?

The AARP offers several ideas for supporting a mature driving parent:

• Suggest that he or she take a refresher course on road safety for people age 50 and older. One of the best known is the AARP Driver Safety Program, which is offered throughout the nation, but insurance companies and community centers also conduct them. Earning a certificate of completion may entitle him or her to a discount on her car insurance.

• Check out your parent’s car, adjusting the seat, steering wheel and mirrors accordingly. Take the clutter off the rear-window deck and make sure the brakes, lights and signals work. In a hot climate, he or she will appreciate your checking the air-conditioning, too.

• Encourage your parent to change a few habits if it will make for safer driving. This might include driving in the day instead of at night, staying home in bad weather, driving only short distances, leaving more distance between her car and others on the road and getting regular health and vision checkups.

• To preserve family harmony, let your mom or dad reach their own conclusions and make their own decisions about driving – but make an exception if their driving is becoming dangerous. In this case, it’s can help to ask a third party, such as a doctor, clergyman or friend, to talk with him or her about handing over the keys for good.

And, of course, bring your parents car shopping so they can try out all the new features and pick the car they like best. Be gentle. After all, someday your own kids may do the same for you.