Updating Safety: Senior Defensive Driving Class

There are many state approved defensive driving classes that are available from the DMV but also from well known traffic safety organizations such as AAA. There are also classes that are designed specifically for different types of drivers, such as beginning drivers which need to learn every aspect of the car's operation, traffic laws, rules of the road, safety maneuvers, emergency procedures and hands-on training. With the growing number of senior citizens today, there are also senior defensive driving classes that are available which are formatted to the needs of drivers who have reached at least fifty-five years of age. The AARP and other organizations offer these courses at a very reasonable price, often at only ten dollars for the class which covers a variety of useful information for aging drivers.

What to Expect

Senior defensive driving classes first of all help to give senior drivers updated information about the rules of the road and driving skills. Since most states do not require individuals to take another driving test, either written or hands-on, after the first time a driver obtains his license (unless he moves to another state) some drivers have gone their entire lives, driving for forty years without having to review new traffic laws or driving skills. Vehicles have become a lot more powerful over the years, so people who started driving forty years ago or more have a lot more power on their hands with a higher need for quick responses than when they first started driving.

Although senior drivers do not usually want to think about the possibility of ending driving on their own altogether, senior defensive driving classes help senior drivers to recognize the signs that they may be becoming a danger to themselves or others on the road. These senior defensive driving classes help drivers to understand the normal changes in the body with age and how that affects driving skills. They learn what warning signs to look for which tell each individual when it is time to turn in their license. The senior defensive driving classes also help to remind senior drivers of important safety skills that they may have forgotten over the years and also address any questions or concerns that senior drivers may have from their own experiences. At the end of an accredited senior defensive driving class, individuals can usually get a discount on their insurance since insurance companies appreciate drivers who are concerned with safety.