Seniors, older persons improve driving skills through 55 Alive
Seniors and older persons 50-and-over from the Carleton County region were give an opportunity May 6 to learn how they can become better, and more informed, behind the wheel.
Instructor Tom Sproull of Woodstock guided those who attended a 55 Alive mature driving course offered at the Woodstock Y's Men's Club.
It allowed the 20-plus people on hand to renew some of their driving skills for today's traffic.
The NB Safety Council Inc. is currently providing this training in co-operation with the New Brunswick Senior Citizens Federation.
The 55 Alive Defensive Driving Course is designed to help Canadians maintain their independence and their driving privileges in their golden years.
The 55 Alive course also helps older persons and seniors to gain more confidence behind the wheel, improve their awareness of traffic hazards, to update themselves on traffic laws, to anticipate the actions of other drivers, to identify and correct bad driving habits, and to voice their concerns in a friendly, relaxed environment.
Students in the course are provided a book which outlines the six hours of instruction needed to complete the program.
"The various topics (we cover) are outlined and the main objective is to have people learn things that will enable them to have many more years of incident-free driving," said Sproull. "It's also a course which highlights the fact that all drivers will be faced with the decision to not drive anymore. This information will help us know when that time is."
The course is being offered throughout the province in both official languages.
"The Anglophone and Francophone federations have agreed to assist seniors to take this course and fully fund the training of 800 seniors in the province," said Sproull. "The majority of courses are being arranged through local seniors clubs or groups, like it was in Woodstock."
Sproull said those who have taken the training have noted many positive attributes to the course, especially in relation to road safety and the responsibilities drivers take on every time they access a highway.
"Some have noted this was a great refresher and everyone should take this course," Sproull added.
Those interested in signing up for the 55 Alive program may contact the NB Safety Council in Fredericton at 1-877-762-7233 or online at info@nbsafety.com.
The course in Woodstock included participants from Hartland, Florenceville, Meductic and Woodstock.
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