AARP class keeps students sharp even as some consider 'risk assessment'

By Julie Trescott, Special to the Town Crier

joe hu/town crier Henry Goltz, AARP Driver Safety Program instructor reviews car safety features with students at the Los Altos Senior Center. Students review basic driving techniques in the multi-day class.

Every other month, Henry Goltz teaches his students about the importance of being a defensive driver.

No, this isn’t a driver’s ed class, and his students aren’t anxious 15-year-olds preparing to get learners’ permits.

As a volunteer for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Goltz teaches a Driver Safety Program course for elderly drivers, mostly between 55 and 85 years old, with some classes held at the Los Altos Senior Center. The aim of this class is to reduce the number of collisions older drivers are involved in. Some insurance companies even offer discounts to seniors who take these types of classes.

“Most of us have been driving for such a long time that driving tends to become routine,” said Goltz. “We drive automatically without thinking. One of my axioms is: You want to drive like your life depends on it.”

That’s good advice, as older drivers have a higher crash death rate per miles driven than any other group except teens.

Senior drivers often have difficulty navigating more complex traffic situations. Similarly, elderly drivers are more likely to get ticketed for failing to yield, turning improperly and running stop signs and red lights than any other age group.

And with seniors as the fastest-growing segment of the driving population, it’s becoming crucial to ensure that elderly drivers are capable and alert. There are more senior drivers on the road than ever before - and that number is expected to double over the next 20 years.

Through a series of exercises and quizzes, Goltz and 13 other Bay Area volunteers review basic rules of the road, physical changes that occur during aging and potential trouble spots for elderly drivers over the course of two four-hour sessions.

In order to stay sharp, elderly drivers should enroll in a refresher driving course like the one offered by the AARP, get regular checkups for hearing, vision and general health and stay away from potential distractions while driving. They should also stay strong by exercising regularly and remain mentally alert through human interactions.

In the AARP class, seniors also learn to conduct a risk assessment and determine if they are still fit to drive.

Goltz said that a person should not continue driving if he has been in a number of accidents or near-misses, feels uncomfortable when driving, forgets where he is going or how to get there, or has difficulty seeing.

“Most people have a pretty good idea that they’re starting to slip,” Goltz said.

But handing over your license can be a scary thought.

“These people wonder: How am I going to get to the doctor or do my shopping?” Goltz said.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of options for non-drivers in Los Altos. Goltz said that most people either use the shuttle bus service Outreach, use public transportation, take taxis or keep their own cars and hire someone to drive them around.

Those interested in taking an AARP Driver Safety Program course should call 947-2797 for more information. Classes are offered multiple times each month at several nearby locations.