Driver educator Andrew Robertson conducts a Know the Code session for senior drivers on Dannevirke.
Driver educator Andrew Robertson conducts a Know the Code session for senior drivers on Dannevirke.
By Sue Emeny
A Know the Code refresher course for senior drivers held at Tararua REAP on Friday was so popular that another session is to be held early next year.
The sessions are organised by the Horizons Regional Council and funded by the New Zealand Transport Agency whichmeans they are free for those attending.
Thirty people registered for the course and those who missed out will be able to take part in the March session.
Horizons Road Safety co-ordinator Debbie Webster, who covers Tararua and Horowhenua, says NZTA provides valuable resources covering many of the issues that face older drivers.
"Many older people are more wary of driving post Covid lockdown as there was a lot less traffic on the roads. And many older people didn't even venture out."
Senior drivers take part in a Know the Code session organised by the Horizons Regional Council held at Tararua REAP on Friday.
Course facilitator Andrew Robertson has been conducting driver courses for 15 years.
"This course is brand new and is based on NZTA material. This is the third different version of the course."
Robertson covers an area up to Taumarunui, over to Taihape, Marton, Tararua and through the Wairarapa.
"There's a better turnout for the course in Dannevirke for a town of its size. I don't know whether that's because Dannevirke drivers are more conscientious or because there's a good road safety co-ordinator.
"Pahiatua also had a good turnout but we cancelled the session in Featherston as there weren't the numbers."
Robertson said what had emerged as the most common difficulty older drivers faced was the time it took for them to deal with a hazard.
"It's about admitting that things have changed, that their reactions aren't as quick and that their eyesight isn't as good. Once they cotton on to that we have good outcomes.
"The other thing is that they don't know the road code. The more people who read the road code, the safer we are."
Course participants were given a booklet that contained a worksheet based on scenarios that reflected the possible effects of ageing on driving.
Once the worksheet was filled it provided an assessment of the driver's safety and solutions on how to improve it.
Drivers were also given information on licence renewal, car safety checks, how friends and family can support senior drivers and transport options.
One person taking part in the course was Murray Holden who said when the facilitator asked how many people had read the road code not one hand went up.
