AARP Hearing Center
Older Americans who take a refresher course on driving often say it’s worth it. And after becoming aware of the risks and strategies to be safer on the road, many feel better about being behind the wheel, a new AARP report finds.
A recent survey of about 800 people who took an AARP Smart Driver classroom course reveals 89% were confident about their driving abilities after taking the course, whereas 80% were confident before enrolling. They also showed an improved understanding of basic traffic rules and the most common mistakes that older drivers make, such as improper left turns and failure to observe the right-of-way.
Better Habits
As a result of the course, many adults changed their driving behavior.
Before taking the course, about two-thirds of participants (62%) said they sometimes or always exceeded the speed limit. After the course, just half (48%) said they did, and the share of those who said they never speed grew from 9% before to 22%.
Postcourse, respondents who said they would limit driving in bad weather or long distances nearly doubled. Two-thirds adjusted their mirrors as a result of the Smart Driver course, and half changed the seat and steering wheel positions.
Increased Awareness
After hearing about the potential health issues that can interfere with driving, 61% said they would work on flexibility and strength training, compared to 41% prior to the class. While just 7% had indicated before taking the course that they avoided eating or drinking while driving, 55% said they would after learning of the risk involved.
The survey revealed that to a certain extent, participants decided to simply drive less after the course. About 38% of respondents said they typically drove daily prior to the course, and 33% reported doing so afterward.
Most participants said they heard about the Smart Driver course either through an AARP postcard (34%), AARP publication (20%), or their insurance company (12%). Indeed, getting a car insurance discount was the top reason for taking the course. Ratings for the volunteer-led educational opportunity were high: 90% considered the instructor to be very good or excellent. In an era of increasing online course options, most respondents say they prefer the in-person classroom setting.
Methodology
The report was based on a national sample of 801 participants from the AARP Smart Driver classroom course who took pre- and postcourse surveys between June 2023 and March 2024.
For more information, please contact Joanne Binette at jbinette@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.
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