OLDER residents in Dorset are being given a chance to brush up on their driving skills.
The Dorset County Council-run course for drivers over 70 to boost confidence follows the success of a pilot project.
It also comes amid research which suggests motorists aged over 75 appear to have higher incidences of crash involvement at junctions when turning right than those aged between 55-74, and that older drivers may have greater difficulty judging oncoming vehicle speed and distance.
DCC Cabinet member for environment and economy Cllr Peter Finney said he will be signing up for the course.
The council is offering drivers aged 70 and over a chance for £5 to take part in a friendly discussion session about driving issues.
The session does not involve any driving and covers subjects including staying fit to drive, car adaptations, new driving techniques, changes to the Highway Code, negotiating roundabouts and junctions safely, and dual carriageway and motorway driving.
There is also an option for a practical refre-sher drive at a later date.
This 90 minute one-to-one practical driving session takes place on local roads and includes town and country driving.
This aims to improve defensive driving techniques, hazard awareness and better road positioning, as well as providing tips that can help reduce fuel consumption and vehicle wear and tear.
The practical session is being offered free of charge for a limited number of people on a first-come, first served basis. The normal cost of a practical refresher session is £37.50. Cabinet member for environment and economy Cllr Peter Finney said: “In a rural county like Dorset, driving is the most common way for people to get around, giving them access to work, loved ones, shops and health services.
“Research suggests that human error plays a part in almost all collisions and nearly half the people killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads are in a car. We could all do with a refresher from time-to-time, however long we’ve been driving.
“I’m going to have a go at this course. It will give me a chance to brush up on my driving skills.”
For further information and to book a place on the theory discussion session visit dorsetforyou. com/roadsafety/gold or call 01305 224558 Theory sessions will take place at Dorchester County Hall on October 17 at 10am, at Upton House, Poole on October 20 at 2pm, at Weymouth Fire Safety Centre on November 12 at 2pm, at Dorchester County Hall on November 21 at 2pm, at Beaminster’s Public Hall on December 2 at 10am and at Upton House on December 10 at 2pm.
The Dorset County Council-run course for drivers over 70 to boost confidence follows the success of a pilot project.
It also comes amid research which suggests motorists aged over 75 appear to have higher incidences of crash involvement at junctions when turning right than those aged between 55-74, and that older drivers may have greater difficulty judging oncoming vehicle speed and distance.
DCC Cabinet member for environment and economy Cllr Peter Finney said he will be signing up for the course.
The council is offering drivers aged 70 and over a chance for £5 to take part in a friendly discussion session about driving issues.
The session does not involve any driving and covers subjects including staying fit to drive, car adaptations, new driving techniques, changes to the Highway Code, negotiating roundabouts and junctions safely, and dual carriageway and motorway driving.
There is also an option for a practical refre-sher drive at a later date.
This 90 minute one-to-one practical driving session takes place on local roads and includes town and country driving.
This aims to improve defensive driving techniques, hazard awareness and better road positioning, as well as providing tips that can help reduce fuel consumption and vehicle wear and tear.
The practical session is being offered free of charge for a limited number of people on a first-come, first served basis. The normal cost of a practical refresher session is £37.50. Cabinet member for environment and economy Cllr Peter Finney said: “In a rural county like Dorset, driving is the most common way for people to get around, giving them access to work, loved ones, shops and health services.
“Research suggests that human error plays a part in almost all collisions and nearly half the people killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads are in a car. We could all do with a refresher from time-to-time, however long we’ve been driving.
“I’m going to have a go at this course. It will give me a chance to brush up on my driving skills.”
For further information and to book a place on the theory discussion session visit dorsetforyou. com/roadsafety/gold or call 01305 224558 Theory sessions will take place at Dorchester County Hall on October 17 at 10am, at Upton House, Poole on October 20 at 2pm, at Weymouth Fire Safety Centre on November 12 at 2pm, at Dorchester County Hall on November 21 at 2pm, at Beaminster’s Public Hall on December 2 at 10am and at Upton House on December 10 at 2pm.
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