“The driver safety classroom course is one of the most popular and successful programs offered by the organization,” said AARP’s Leonard Miller in a news release.
The AARP has offered driver safety courses since 1979, and the classes are open to both AARP members and non-members, according to the news release. The cost for the course is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members, officials said.
Miller said the newly designed course has been shortened to four hours long instead of the eight-hour course AARP previously offered. The course is developed and designed to meet the needs of drivers who are age 50 and older, according to the news release. The course is classroom based, but no tests are administered and participants will receive a certificate of completion.
The class is designed to teach seniors how to boost safety awareness, refresh and improve driving skills, minimize crash risks, prolong mobility and maintain independence, Miller said.
“It’s particularly important to remain aware of the changes – to ourselves, our vehicles and our roads,” he said. “With that knowledge we can all become safer drivers for many years.”
Miller said senior and community centers are “popular sites” for the group to teach the course because they are usually familiar settings for local senior citizens and seniors “tend to feel more comfortable and at ease in participating in a classroom setting” in a familiar environment.
“Also, staff members at the centers are very courteous and helpful in hosting and promoting driver safety classes and ensure their facilities are conducive to learning,” Miller said.
In Utah, drivers who are age 55 and older and complete the four-hour AARP course are eligible to receive a discount on their auto insurance regardless of the company they use, thanks to legislation passed by the Utah Legislature, Miller said. The discount applies for three years.
To register for the Feb. 6 class, contact the Grand Center at 435-259-6623.