Seniors Behind The Wheel: AARP Driver Safety Tips

By Dottie Evans

Dorothea LaBelle has lived on West Street since 1970. As an active member of the Newtown Woman’s Club (GFWC) and chairman of its Conservation Department, she has never been one to stay home all day or let someone else do the driving.

Perhaps that is why her 1989 Toyota Camry has 349,000 miles on it.

“My car and I are not so young anymore,” Ms LaBelle recently admitted. “After age 50, you start having physical changes that may affect your driving.”

Aware that she might benefit from taking a refresher course on rules of the road and safe driving techniques, Ms LaBelle enrolled many years ago in the AARP Driver Safety Program and found the advice she gained to be very helpful.

“It was such a good course, I decided to teach it to others. I’ve been doing this for ten years now,” said Ms LaBelle to a room full of AARP Driver Safety Program students at the Newtown Senior Center on Tuesday, June 8.

Realizing that a fellow-senior would be in a good position to understand their concerns and questions, her students had read the chapters ahead of time and followed along in the workbooks during the group discussion. They also paid attention to the slides, and frequently raised hands to ask questions or share experiences.

“What about airbags? I’ve heard you can be killed if it hits you in the wrong place,” one woman wanted to know.

“You need to have ten inches between you and the center of the steering wheel,” Ms LaBelle advised, and they all turned to Chapter 8 for Tips On Airbags.

If you drive with both hands on the steering wheel in the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions, you won’t injure yourself when the airbag inflates.

“An airbag deflates in 1/1200 of a second,” Ms LaBelle added.

Then she reminded the class that an airbag is no substitute for a seat belt.

“Click it or ticket,” she noted.

Several seniors complained that the upper straps of their seat belts cut too sharply across their necks, or that they had trouble putting seat belts on because the buckle was too far around to the side, too low down, or too close to their bodies.

“You need to have them properly adjusted and the seat must be set for your height. Have someone help you with this if necessary,” she advised.

Learning To Drive Efficiently, Safely

The AARP Driver Safety Program is regularly taught in many locations convenient to senior citizens living in the greater Danbury area. Students may participate in the eight-hour course over a two-day period.

“There are no exams and we don’t give marks or grades, just certificates of completion,” Ms LaBelle said.

“We do it in two consecutive four-hour sessions –– usually Mondays and Tuesdays –– so people can set aside time to take the course and be done with it in one week. Our next class in Newtown is October. But I believe Danbury gives one every month,” she added.

“If your insurance company is Connecticut-based, the legislature has ruled you get a discount on your premium after you show your certificate of course completion.”

She added that usually a senior driver must repeat the course every two or three years to continue saving on insurance.

Driver Safety Program enrollees not only want to gain tips about driving more efficiently and safely, they enjoy the opportunity to sit down together in one room to discuss common driving concerns. Certainly, this appeared to be the case June 8 at the Newtown Senior Center.

“What about antilock braking systems [ABS]? Do we pump the brakes when we start skidding like we used to have to do?” asked one student.

No, Ms LaBelle replied, it is just the opposite.

“You must slow down, keep on steering in the direction you want to go, and apply firm and steady pressure on the brakes,” she said.

Then she asked the class to turn to page 75 for “ABS Dos and Don’ts.”

Don’t be alarmed if you hear mechanical noises or feel slight pedal pulsations while applying the brakes in an ABS-equipped vehicle. These conditions are normal and let you know ABS is working. Some of the many other areas touched on during the course are the following: Reaction Time, Skidding, Possible Effects of Medication, Blind Spots, Aggressive Drivers, Left Turns, Right-Of-Way, Highway Driving, Risk Assessment, and Knowing When To Retire From Driving.

Anyone who would like to know more about the AARP Driver Safety Program may call the Newtown Senior Center at 270-4310 or Dorothea LaBelle at 426-5081.