Why Take a Driver Safety Class?
By: AARP Driver Safety Program | Source: AARP.org | September 2009
Cars have changed. So have the traffic rules, driving conditions, and the roads you travel every day. Some drivers age 50-plus have never looked back since they got their first driver's licenses, but even the most experienced benefit from brushing up on their driving skills.
What Will I Learn by Taking the Course?
You can expect to learn current rules of the road, defensive driving techniques, and how to operate your vehicle more safely in today's increasingly challenging driving environment. You'll learn adjustments to accommodate common age-related changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time. You will learn the following:
- How to minimize the effects of dangerous blind spots
- How to maintain the proper following distance behind another car
- The safest ways to change lanes and make turns at busy intersections
- Proper use of safety belts, air bags, anti-lock brakes, and new technologies used in cars
- Ways to monitor your own and others' driving skills and capabilities
- The effects of medications on driving
- The importance of eliminating distractions, such as eating, smoking, and cell-phone use
After completing the course, you will have a greater appreciation of driving challenges and of how you can avoid potential collisions and injuries to yourself and others.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
- The course is available in classroom and online settings.
- You may be eligible to receive an insurance discount upon completing the course, so consult your agent for details.
- The AARP Driver Safety Program has helped millions of drivers stay safe on the roads since its inception in 1979.
- Although it is geared to drivers age 50 and older, the course is open to people of all ages.
- AARP membership is not required to take the course.
- There is no test to pass.
The classroom course costs only $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. The cost for the online course is $15.95 for AARP members and $19.95 for nonmembers.*
| Classroom Course | Online Course | |||
| Format | Instructor-led course taught by AARP-trained volunteers. | Self-paced and interactive Web-based course. The curriculum is the same as the classroom course. | ||
| Duration | Depending on your state, the classroom course is either four or eight hours long. Most eight-hour courses are taught in two sessions of four hours each. Some weekend courses are available, and the program is available in Spanish in some areas. | The online course is approximately six hours. While some individuals choose to complete the course all in one sitting, you may complete the course at your convenience. Depending on your state's regulations, you will have 30–60 days from the time of your registration to complete the course in order to receive a certificate. | ||
| Certificate | Upon completing the AARP Driver Safety Program classroom course, you will receive a certificate for completing the course. | You will receive your Certificate of Completion by mail within five–15 business days after you finish the online course. (The certificate is sent via standard mail by the U.S. Postal Service. If you need to receive your certificate quickly, we offer an express service for an additional fee (you may choose among FedEx two-day, Standard Overnight, or Priority Overnight services). | ||
| Registration | Find and register for a class near you by using the Classroom Course Locator | Register online, conveniently and securely. | ||
| Cost | $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members | $15.95 for AARP members and $19.95 for non-members* | ||
How Can I Sign Up?
To register for a classroom course near you, visit our Classroom Course Locator or call, toll-free, 1-888-AARP-NOW (1-888-227-7669). To register for the online course, visit http://www.aarp.org/drive/online.
*In the State of New York, the AARP Driver Safety Online Course for Insurance and Point Reduction is $15.95 for members and $19.95 for non-members. Both member and non-member rates have an additional fee of $8 to cover fees payable to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
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