As the number of Baby Boomers entering their sixties increases, the need for continuing driver education for senior drivers will increase as well. A 2007 USA Today report indicated that drivers 65 and older were involved in 72% more automobile s than just eight years previously. That figure does not necessarily mean that older drivers are more reckless than they were in 1999; it could simply mean that there are more drivers over 65, a statistic which will continue to grow.
While many senior drivers are extremely safety conscious, they may not be able to compensate for the slower reflexes which normally accompany the aging process. The driver's licensing exams in all stated require that drivers pass a vision test, but they do nothing to test for reaction speed. But millions of seniors lead active, productive lives; many of them still work for a living; and to arbitrarily deprive them of the ability to drive would be disastrous for everyone.
The AARP Solution
AARP, the American Association of Retired Person, offers a solution in the form of AARP defensive driving classes. The AARP Driver Safety Class, which would be more appropriately named the AARP Defensive Driving Class, is designed to protect the rights of senior citizens to drive by teaching them how to avoid s which could cost them their licenses.
AARP defensive driving techniques, because it helps seniors avoid s, will even qualify those who have completed the AARP defensive driving courses for discounted automobile insurance with some insurance companies. The increasing rate among those 65 and older is a great reason for automobile insurance carriers to raise their older clients' rates to almost unaffordable levels. Those senior drivers who participate in the AARP defensive driving program will show their automobile insurance companies that they are determined to continue to drive safely.
Finding An AARP Defensive Driving Class
AARP defensive driving classes are available all over the US, and you can find one in your area simply by visiting the AARP website at http://www.aarp.org. Search for an AARP defensive driving class by entering your ZIP code in the search box.
You can also place a toll-free call to AARP at 1-888-227-7669, and ask them to find the location of the nearest AARP defensive driving class. You will have to leave a message containing your SIP code, and in three to five business day someone from AARP will contact you by telephone with the class information.
An AARP defensive driving class will require two four-hour sessions over two days, and costs only ten dollars. The instructors will also teach you how to assess your own physical conditions so that you can determine if you will be able to continue to drive safely. And even with AARP defensive driver training, you will still have to pass your driver's license exam.
Knowing when and where to do defensive driving is crucial if you want to use your defensive driving skills to avoid s or the kinds of situations which can easily lead to s. You put good money and a lot of time and effort into your defensive driving course, and knowing where to use your defensive driving skills will pay you back in no time!
Related Articles
Defensive Driving: It Simply Makes Sense
By: David Faulkner | 19/01/2008 | Automotive
While for some drivers the thought of driving defensively can sound demeaning, the facti is that defensive driving can often be the difference between becoming involved in, or avoiding, a fatal accident. Most drivers are good drivers, and a few drivers are exceptional drivers. But even exceptional drivers can be...
Defensive Driving Tips: Seat Belt Safety Facts
By: Jean Littman | 15/10/2007 | Automotive
Defensive driving techniques are not restricted to technical driving skills and tactics. One of the simplest and most effective defensive driving techniques to protect yourself as a driver or a passenger is to ALWAYS wear a seat belt. It is well proven that seat belts save lives, and drivers should...
Defensive Driving Certification Skills: Preparation And Prevention
By: David Faulkner | 27/01/2008 | Education
Anyone serious about becoming a truly good driver should explore the possibility of obtaining defensive driving certification skills. Getting such skills is not as lengthy nor as difficult a process as you might think, and defensive driving certification skills are something which will serve you well for the rest of...
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Automotive Articles
Make Your Gas Count - Get Better Gas Mileage With These Tips
By: Stephen Long | 19/07/2008
Gas prices have been skyrocketing. Many people are concerned about the higher gas prices and are looking for ways to get better gas economy. Get better gas mileage with these tips.
Marmite for the Road at Your Volkswagen Dealer
By: Jake Delur | 18/07/2008
Of my rich tapestry of friends, one of my favourites works as a salesman at our local Volkswagen dealer. He's not my favourite because I went to school with him - because I didn't. I rarely nip out for a pint with him and he doesn't participate in football which...
Organic Products at Your Vauxhall Dealer
By: Tom London | 18/07/2008
In this time of motoring crisis, where petrol is rocketing in price and environmentalists are screaming for us to drive about in what appear to be battery powered chest freezers, it's clear that car manufacturers need to take note.
All the big players are either producing hybrid vehicles or tiny hatchbacks...
Best Tips for Choosing the Perfect Car Audio
By: Sivakorn Siricharoensataporn | 18/07/2008
Listening to the favorite music of your choice during a long drive is a wonderful stress buster during driving.
Gas Saving Devices: Know the Top 5 Benefits Today
By: Shane Wilson | 18/07/2008
As the price of oil breaks records nearly everyday, many people are searching for gas saving devices for a break. With technological advances coming to pass nearly everyday, it is now possible to let our voices be heard at the pump. One of these technologies involves the use of water to improve gas mileage. The use of water and gas allows an engine to obtain maximum efficiency while saving the vehicle owner money.
Better Gas Mileage in 3 Easy Steps
By: Kade Phillips | 18/07/2008
Almost every other day someone else comes out with a new "top ten ways to save on gasoline" article. Unfortunately, there's rarely anything new in those articles, and most of the tips save so little gas that they're hardly worth implementing unless you're a fanatic. Here are the 3 gas savings tips that you absolutely must implement, if you want to get the bulk of the fuel savings possible.
Smart Car Repair is the Way to Go
By: Steven Magill | 18/07/2008
Smart car repair services aide fleet operators, car hire services, car dealerships and consumers in obtaining inexpensive auto body work. This can be routine maintenance or large repairs caused by big dents or other exterior vehicle damage. Many utilize the services of a smart car repair shop for touch up work for cars, vans and motorcycles.
DOT Motorcycle Helmet Certification is Important
By: Frank Medley | 17/07/2008
When you're buying a helmet, it can be difficult to decide what helmet will give you the best protection for your money. Your head is the most important part of the body when it comes to protecting yourself on the road while riding. It doesn't take much to split the...
More from David Faulkner
Embroidery Machine Designs For The Modern Individual
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Art and Entertainment
Tired of looking for that perfect embroidery machine design? Do you feel like all the embroidery machine designs you have looked at have something missing?
Then you haven't seen the Janome Memory Craft 9500 just yet. This tool is probably the most technologically advanced machine in the market today that offers...
Are You In The Market For A Bad Credit Personal Loan?
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Finance
There are two kinds of personal loans: secured, and unsecured. If you have bad credit and are looking for a personal loan, you will soon learn that almost all the bad credit personal loans available are secured. What this means is that unless you have some assets to pledge as...
Finding And Using A Refinancing Loan
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Finance
If you're like most people, one of the biggest reasons you want to refinance is to save money with a Loan interest rate lower than the one on your existing mortgage. You are either looking for lower monthly payments or a shorter term loan. But you may also want a...
Foreclosure Assistance: Learning To Spot The Scams
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Real Estate
There is no doubt that more and more people have been forced into financial difficulties by the collapse of the US housing market, and are now being faced with home foreclosure. And with the rising number of requests for foreclosure assistance, there has been an accompanying increase in the...
Understanding Home Refinancing
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Finance
While home refinance is the current buzz term, there are millions of homeowners in the dark about its true meaning. If you are wondering whether or not home refinance would be a good idea in your situation, you should first examine the reasons why people usually do it.
You can use...
Should You Refinance Your Home Debts To Turn Your Financial Life Around
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Finance
Getting into debt can put you on a slippery financial slope, and once you are in free fall, you may be facing a nearly impossible task in trying to work your way back to solvency. If you are a homeowner struggling to meet the minimum payments due on your bills...
The Importance Of Knowing How To Stop Foreclosure
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Real Estate
The collapse of the real estate housing market in the US has extended even to homes purchased under the HUD program, and thousands of HUD homeowners are now facing foreclosure. But if you are among them, you should not give up just yet. If you know how to stop foreclosure...
Always Comparison Shop For Your Mortgage Interest Rates
By: David Faulkner | 30/01/2008 | Finance
Every smart shopper knows that the best way to save money is to do comparison shopping. And shopping for a mortgage is no different. Do not decide to purchase a home without having spent an adequate amount of time on shopping for your mortgage, by getting quotes from several different...
Automotive 
