Senior Smart Driver Class in Islesboro

Wed, 04/24/2019 - 4:15pm

ISLESBORO — Do you drive? Are you age 50 or older?

Smart Driver instructor Paul Sheridan will lead a class, Thursday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Islesboro Community Center.

Bring your brown bag lunch for a midday break, or come early to place your order before class for a meal from the Bluewater Bakery right in the center.

AARP's Smart Driver class features a new workbook and new videos, both based on a research-based curriculum.

According to Smart Driver, in a news release, Spring is an excellent time for motorists age 50 and older to sharpen their skills by updating their driving knowledge through participation in the Smart Driver program, presented through a partnership between the Islesboro Community Center and AARP.

Do you know how to best adjust your side view mirrors to eliminate blind spots? Do you know how to apply the three-second rule, and especially important here in Maine, when that should become a 4, 5 or a 6-second rule?

The main thrust of the course is about giving yourself every possible advantage now, and as you age, to be able to continue to drive safely for as long as you can.

You will be encouraged to look at your current driving habits while reinforcing the good ones, consider new habits, and increase awareness of changes in the roads, cars, and yourself.

There is no exam, and all work is in the classroom, and you get to keep your workbook for future reference.

Those attending will learn defensive driving techniques and strategies, review new traffic laws, rules of the road and more in the four-hour course. You will discover how to adjust your driving to age-related changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time through an interactive discussion about the changing technology on newer vehicles and the warning signs that suggest when it is time to give up the keys.

In Maine drivers 55 years or older who successfully complete the AARP course are eligible for a car insurance discount, good for three years, according to the release.

Course seating is limited; there is a $20 fee, with a $5 discount for AARP members; advanced registration for any class is required.

Call 338-0350 for information about the class or to reserve a seat.