A Conversation with Oregon's AARP Smart Driver Course Volunteer Leader

The AARP Smart Driver course is the nation’s first program specifically designed for drivers age 50 and older. An evaluation of the course found that 97% of participants changed at least one driving habit as a result of what they learned. We had a chance to speak with Oregon Driver’s Safety State Coordinator, Craig Bussey, about his volunteer involvement and what courses are on the horizon in the coming months.

1. Tell us about your involvement with Drivers Safety and what you enjoy about volunteering?
I started out as an instructor here in Portland a little over 3 years ago.  I joined the Driver Safety program after taking the class where at the end of the class the instructor asked the class if anyone would like to volunteer to be an instructor.

Although the minimum requirement is 3 classes a year, I thought teaching one class a month would keep me busy and get me out of the house once in and a while.  Three months later, I taught my first class.

As it turned out, whenever another instructor wasn’t able to teach a class, my District Coordinator would call upon me to cover the class, not only here within Multnomah County, but for other districts as well.

Then one day, he asked me if I would “cover for him” while he went for heart surgery.  Fortunately, the surgery was successful; unfortunately, he never returned, so I was assigned to Districts 4 & 5 (Multnomah County).  

From there, things took off rapidly:   I was asked to be part of the original steering committee for the brand new SDTEK program, I implemented a number of procedural changes in my districts, and ultimately I became State Coordinator for Oregon AARP Driver Safety.  Most recently I’m serving on the Oregon AARP Executive Committee.

I have found that volunteering is as exciting as you want to make it.  If you would be happy with making an occasional contribution to the community because you might have other regular activities, that’s fine.  On the other hand, some of our volunteers seek out ways to improve our organization and communities and become heavily involved in new projects and initiatives, as well as other opportunities.  And, of course, there are those who want to contribute their leadership and technical talents to the organization.  

What I like most is that you can pretty much define your own path and how you wish to serve.  Many opportunities and not-so-may limits.  The rewards take all forms, but what is most appealing to me is the feeling of accomplishment when I have resolved a major issue and how I can see people achieve what they may not have ever thought possible.

All of our volunteers are different and have different motivations.  Some are interested in heading up one or more short-term projects, while others are strategic-thinkers and are driving toward the big picture.  Then there are those that are just looking for something to do and stay busy.  They are all welcome and can pretty much find what they want.

2. You have some virtual classes coming up that people can register for correct? Tell us about the class and what they will learn?
We have four Smart Driver classes scheduled in the coming months and upon completion, students receive a discount off of their auto insurance premiums.  Each session has three dates. Please register for each three-date session using the links below.

Do the classes cost anything and do I get a discount on my insurance?
There is a nominal fee to cover the cost of materials for the Smart Driver class ($25 for the general public, only $20 for AARP members), and the Smart DriverTEK class is free.

The Smart Driver class is a 6-hour class mandated by ODOT to qualify for insurance discounts.  Generally speaking, participants need to be re-certified every 2 or 3 years (depending upon age).

The Smart DriverTEK workshop is not a class, per se, and does not qualify for insurance discounts.

3.       How do I become a Drivers Safety volunteer?

The fastest way to become a volunteer is to use this link and complete the application: