AARP Smart Driver Course coming to Macomb County

With the baby boom-generation now in retirement, the number of senior drivers has surged. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that there are 37.2 million licensed drivers ages 60 and above.

Age-related changes in vision, cognition and physical function may affect a senior’s ability to drive safely, and that’s why it’s important to employ tactics to help older drivers stay safe on the road.

The AARP Smart Driver Course serves as a refresher class on Michigan’s driving laws and offers practical tips on how to stay safe behind the wheel. The course is the nation’s first refresher designed for ages 50 and older.

Courses are set for Oct. 9-10 at St. Therese of Lisieux in Shelby Township and Oct. 23-24 at the Clinton Township Senior Center. Classes last from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“The course will cover a variety of areas to help assure that seniors can be safer drivers on the road,” said Larry Bukowski, a 77-year-old Clinton Township resident who teaches AARP Safe Driver Courses in Macomb County. “We cover the latest changes in state laws and the most dangerous intersections.”

During the course, Bukowski also will offer reminders on how to be courteous drivers and interact with others. “We share the road with trucks, buses and walkers. We need to be attentive to all of these,” he said.

According to the AARP, in 2019, Michigan drivers 65-plus were behind the wheel in nearly 23% of fatal crashes, accounting for 227 of the county’s traffic deaths that year.

Rear-end collisions are the most common type of accident for older drivers.

The course will help seniors reduce their chances of being in an accident, build confidence while driving and make driving more enjoyable again.

“We will cover what seniors encounter most, including problems at intersections and being distracted by phone use, talking to others and tuning the radio,” Bukowski said. “We will also talk about the importance of using their blinkers.”

Bukowski also will address the latest technologies and how they assist drivers and the importance of being physically fit and how that applies to driving.

He will offer some simple exercises in class.

There may be an insurance discount for those who complete the course.

The cost is $20 for AARP members and $25 for nonmembers. Attendees pay the fee on the first day of class in cash or check, payable to the AARP. To attend the course at St. Therese, call 586-254-4433.

Those interested in attending the course at the Clinton Township Senior Center should call 586-286-9333.