Helping Minnesota Drivers Stay Safe on the Road

It’s now easier for older Minnesota drivers to get a break on their auto insurance.

A new state law, which took effect July 1, shortened the length of defensive driving classes—from eight hours to four—needed for drivers 55 and over to qualify for a 10 percent insurance discount.

AARP Minnesota will inform residents about the change and promote AARP Smart Driver courses and other AARP Driver Safety programs during Traffic Safety Day at the Mall of America next month. The event—cohosted by AARP, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the nonprofit Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths—will also feature demonstrations and presentations about impaired driving, safety features, seatbelts, school bus safety and the effects of aging on older drivers.

AARP volunteer Cheryl Salo, 78, has taught AARP Smart Driver courses since 2013. She says participation rates have been falling in recent years, partly because of the lengthy time commitment. Now, instructors can cover the same basic information in the shorter four-hour period, Salo notes.

“We didn’t have to drop anything. It’s the same content,” she says, noting that instructors can stay after class to answer any additional questions.

The course covers topics such as how to reduce driver distractions, the effects of medication on driving and proper use of safety equipment. Salo says she also spends a few minutes on new car technology in case the driver of an older car gets a rental and doesn’t recognize the latest features.

The courses are offered in-person and online, but Salo particularly likes face-to-face.

“In northern Minnesota, where there aren’t a lot of villages, it’s a big social event where people can meet with friends they haven’t seen for a while,” she says.

People can sign up for a course during Traffic Safety Day or by visiting aarp.org/findacourse. Alan Ainsworth, 86, AARP Minnesota’s volunteer representative on the planning committee, says that last year’s event resulted in nearly 2,300 conversations between visitors and exhibitors. “We figure that’s a pretty good return,” he says. Ainsworth adds that older drivers, in particular, benefit from the car-fitting demonstration. Occupational therapists and technicians for CarFit, a free educational program developed by AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, perform a 12-point check to ensure that seats, mirrors and lights are in the correct position for the safety of the driver.

The event also offers information on the AARP We Need to Talk program, which provides tips on how to tactfully raise the subject of whether a loved one is losing the capacity to drive safely.

Traffic Safety Day is Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mall of America in Bloomington.

—David Lewellen