Driver safety course - online vs. classroom

[JMC657650]

Hello, just joined and posting my first message here. I would love anyone's thoughts/experiences on the online AARP Smart Driver course vs. the classroom experience. Thanks!

[lk3510]

I was locked out twice during the online AARP course and told to start from the beginning as my test typing effort did not exactly match my first effort.  After completing 2/3's of the course I could not see starting all over agaIn.  They would not refund theb $25.  I would suggest taking an in-person course.

[dtmcim2016]

 I just finished the online course over 4 days.  I saved the site in my bookmarks, when leaving, I just hit the "X" in the top right of the screen to close the window and when I wanted to continue, I went to the bookmarks list, clicked on the AARP site and the page came up right where I left off.  

[EdtheAminal]

 I'm with Central Mutual NY. New York has it's own Safety Course which must be renewed every 3 years. ( if i wanna save money) does anyone know if this course is New York State approved?

[donnashort]

i am not able to get the on line course. it dosen't work to type "i agree'

[Epster]

Hi @JMC657650  I figured I'd reply here as well, so that anyone reading this later will have my answer. 🙂

DH and I both took the online class through this site using the AARP discount. The class was convenient, efficient and painless. While I took the class 2 years ago (and so need to do it again to renew my auto insurance discount) DH took the class last month. In both cases we received the certificate of completion immediately via email and sent that along to our insurance agent. 

Our insurance company gives a discount for 2 years after completion of the course.

[JMC657650]

Thanks so much for your reply (and the kudos)! I'm curious — apart from the insurance discount, how did you benefit from the course? What, if any, changes did you make in your driving as a result? 

[PamelaR162391]

How to. Find. Smart. Driver class. In. My. Area. 12180

[Epster]

Quite welcome. 🙂

Well, besides using it to teach my dear lead foot hubby to slow the heck down ... uh ... 🙂 I learned about all the ways we older people do dumb stuff that gets us killed in traffic. Like left hand turns. Big no-no, as we lose the ability to acurately perceive how fast oncoming cars are travelling and thus turn in front of them and get clobbered for our bad timing.

And it talked about newer road signs and their meanings. 

The course also talks quite a bit about when to stop driving. Which I thought was a good thing. I have an in-law who needed to stop driving and that gave us the tools/information to help him finally turn over the keys.

So I think it is a good and painless way to brush up on recent changes, to fine tune safe driving behaviors and to test your basic knowledge.

I'm not yet 60, some would say excessively active and in perfect health, so I didn't need to use the tip about how to set up your automobile to fit your changing needs, though those bits were certainly interesting.

Hope this is helpful. 

[JMC657650]

Thanks, Epster! Sounds like a good course. I've been down that route with parents/in-laws too. 😉 I am also in my fifties and want to freshen up my skills and head off potential problems.  

[NortonFamily]

I've been waiting for over 30 minutes for the next "expert" to help me with a login issue.  REDICULOUS!!!.

I found the in class experience to be painless from a technology point of  view.  However, you may have an instructor like I did who did alot of complaining about how we seniors are treated - to a shoute of amens from the participants.  I thought that this was not helpful in understanding how to deal with the difficulties we face as we age.  I would have preferred to have them talk about strategies.

Other than that, I wish I'd just signed up for the in person class.