The Utah roads will soon be icy and snowy, and it may be time to reevaluate your driving habits before you have to navigate them. AARP Utah offers a four-hour driver safety course for anyone who sits behind the wheel. Paulette Welch, the driver safety coordinator, says most older adults haven't received any driving instruction since they were teenagers – and a lot has changed since then.
"We were all taught when we learned to drive that you should hold the steering wheel at '10' and '2' – that’s no longer true, with airbags. So, it’s very important to hold your steering wheel at '8' and '4,' because that’s where most of the controls are."
Janet Chatwin of Oakley took the course in July. She was surprised at how much new information there is to learn.
"My husband had done it before and he encouraged me to do it. And so I did it to get 15 percent off of my insurance! But then I ended up, ‘Wow! This was wonderful.’"
Welch says the AARP offers the driver safety course online and in person. For more information, visit the AARP Driver Safety page on the AARP website.