New AARP driving course offered for seniors

Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 28, 2011

A new four-hour AARP driver safety class offered for senior citizens.
An AARP Driver Safety Program class will be held at the Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, at 1120 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Salisbury on Wednesday, May 11. The class has been revised to a four-hour session. Registration is at 12:30 and instruction from 1 to 5 p.m. Class size is limited, so reservations can be made by calling 704-216-7714.
The fee is $12 for AARP members. The member must bring the membership card to the class. If the card is lost, a new card can be obtained by calling the AARP national office at 1-888-227-7669 (1-888-AARP NOW). The membership number is also on the AARP magazine. The fee is $14 for non-members. The fee covers the cost of the workbook and materials. Participants must also bring their driverís license.
The Rufty-Holmes Senior Center has sponsored an AARP Driver Safety Class in Salisbury every year since 1991.
The AARP Driver Safety Program is the nationís first and largest classroom driver refresher course specially designed for motorists age 50 and older. AARP volunteers have been teaching the Driver Safety course since 1979.
The course will provide a review of driving skills and techniques, as well as strategies and tips to help seniors adjust to normal age related physical changes that affect driving ability. The workbook contains 25 pages of safety tips and much more.
The objectives of the AARP Driver Safety Program are to help participants understand the effects of aging on driving by getting them to know themselves, learn driving strategies that take into account the changes people experience as they age; identify the most common crash situations we face; reduce the chances of having a crash by reviewing basic driving rules, traffic hazards and accident prevention measures; update our knowledge and understanding of todayís roads, vehicles and other road users; plan and think about how we drive; the effects of medication on driving; identify when driving may no longer be safe.
Upon completing the course, graduates of the AARP Driver Safety Program may be eligible to receive a discount on their auto insurance premiums.
The local AARP chapter meets the first Thursday of each month at the Rufty-Holmes Senior Center starting at 1 p.m. The local chapter offers members a variety of community service, education, advocacy and leadership, and fellowship opportunities. Senior citizens over the age of 50 are encouraged to attend the informative meetings and join the local chapter.