Driver Safety Class offered in Malta on April 4

The Malta Senior Center will host the second annual AARP Driver Safety classroom session on Wednesday, April 4 at the Senior Center from 9-12. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. and each participant will receive a packet of information to take home.

Larry Jess, Havre, who was here in 2015, is the instructor. Participants may be eligible for a state-mandated, multi-year discount on auto insurance premiums, good for three years. Check with your carrier to verify.

The fee for AARP members is $15 and non-members pay $20. There are online courses (http://www.aarpdriversafety.org) for $19.95 if an AARP member and $24.95 for non-members.

There are no tests to take.

If you have multiple vehicles and these are in different names, if each person attends, a discount may apply to each individual vehicle if applicable in your policy.

Any licensed driver can take the course but it is geared towards 50+ people.

The AARP Smart Driver Course is intended to help drivers live more independently as they age and remain on roadways.

Smart Driver Course objectives cover defensive driving techniques and the normal changes in vision, hearing and reaction time that comes with aging. The course stresses ongoing changes a person faces with age; the driver's safety and that of others. Participants learn about current rules on the road and how to operate vehicles more safely in today’s increasingly challenging driving environments.

Topics covered will be:

Maintaining proper following distance

Minimizing the effect of dangerous blind spots

Limiting driver distractions such as eating, smoking, and cell phone

Effects of medications on driving

Maintaining physical flexibility

Monitoring the driving skills and capabilities of yourself and others

For further information or questions, call Sharon Kindle at 654-4283 or Larry Jess at 390-9978.