SAFE DRIVING COURSES OFFERED FOR OLDER DRIVERS

If you want to refresh your driving skills, and get a discount on car insurance, you will want to register for the upcoming weekend AARP Driver Safety Program at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.

The class, formerly called “55-Alive”, will help elders improve their skills and prevent traffic accidents. It covers the normal changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time associated with aging and provides practical techniques to compensate for these changes. Participants will also receive a thorough review of the "rules of the road," with emphasis on defensive driving practices. The course features an easy-to-read workbook based on data collected from federal and state agencies and traffic safety organizations.

Some of the automobile insurance companies in 35 states including Vermont provide discounts to AARP Driver Safety Program graduates. Attendees must be present at both days' sessions to receive a certificate of completion. The goal of the program is to provide awareness of aging as it affects driving. Since its inception in 1979, the program has taught more than five million people over 55 years of age how to drive more safely.

The program is a classroom refresher course conducted in two consecutive half-day sessions, often on a weekend as a convenience for those who work during the week. CLICK HERE for information on current Safe Driving courses at BMH.