Course Outline

By: AARP Driver Safety Program | Source: AARP.org | September 2009

The AARP Driver Safety Program is designed to help you accomplish the following:

• Update your driving knowledge
• Learn defensive-driving skills
• Compensate for normal age-related physical changes
• Reduce your traffic violations, crashes, and chances for injuries
• Drive more safely

The course is structured into eight units, which cover a variety of driving topics. Here are the general points taught in each of the units:

Unit 1: Evaluate your current knowledge of driving rules and identify what you remember about the rules of the road by taking a pre-course quiz. Review the learning objectives of the course and find out how driving has changed.

Unit 2: Understand the normal changes, such as changes in vision and hearing, which occur as our bodies age. Identify how these changes affect driving, and learn ways to adjust your technique to compensate. The adverse effects of medication and alcohol on driving are also discussed.

Unit 3: Review driver-safety strategies that you can practice to avoid crashes, both before driving and behind the wheel. Examine scanning techniques and driving strategies, such as using a three-second following distance, keeping a safety cushion, being alert at intersections, safely backing up, and understanding left turns and right-of-way driving.

Unit 4: Examine other motorists, and be aware of those around whom it's important to exercise care, such as impaired, distracted, and aggressive drivers. The risks of cell phone use while driving are noted here. Safe driving near large vehicles, such as trucks and buses, is also covered.

Unit 5: Review road signs, signals, and markings. Learn how to handle the unique challenges of city and rural driving. Get tips for entering, driving on, and exiting the highway, and discusses how to properly change lanes.

Unit 6: Identify the most important vehicle safety features, such as air bags, safety belts, and anti-lock brakes. Information on the new technology found in today's vehicles is also discussed.

Unit 7: Examine ways to judge fitness for driving, and think about how we can extend our driving as late in life as possible. In this unit, the course also covers warning signs of unsafe driving and how to talk to a loved one about driving retirement.

Unit 8: Identify the safe-driving precautions you can take. Evaluate what you've learned in a post-course quiz. Explore additional transportation resources and further information on safe-driving practices.

Ready to take the AARP Driver Safety Program? Find a classroom course near you or register for the online course today. For more information, call toll-free, 1-888-AARP NOW (1-888-227-7669) or visit aarp.org/drive.