Brush Up on Safe Driving Habits (Hint: Don’t Eat While Driving)

Floridians, it appears, could use some help developing safe driving habits. A recent study found that 77% of people who drive long distances in Florida regularly consume junk food while at the wheel.

The study, from Potamkin Hyundai, surveyed 3,000 drivers nationwide in its “America’s Unhealthiest Drivers” survey and found that many people snack while driving. The survey found 68% of drivers choose their commute routes based on the availability of fast-food drive-through options. Almost half of all drivers consume hot food that could spill or burn while driving. And 44% reported experiencing a ‘food mishap’ while driving that either caused a distraction or nearly led to an accident.

Eating while driving is not only unsafe, it’s unhealthy, the study’s authors said. Respondents consumed an average of 420 calories during a single commute. About half of the survey respondents said they eat and drive to save time.

If you see yourself in that alarming picture, here’s some good news: It’s never too late to become a better driver. On Nov. 9, AARP will offer its Smart Driver course at the Council on Aging in Fernandina Beach. The six-hour class will cover a wide range of topics that can help people break bad driving habits and learn new skills to keep driving longer in their golden years.

If you feel you can rely on your 50-plus years of driving experience to drive safely for the remainder of your life, you’ll be surprised by what you learn, says David Van Horn, a Smart Driver instructor.

“Despite the fact that there are, in any given class, hundreds of years of experience, most of those who attend find benefits,” he says.

The benefits include:

• Earning a discount on your car insurance for three years
• Recognizing a driving habit you can improve upon
• Learning updates on driving laws and regulations in Florida

“People almost always find something they are going to take action on,” Van Horn says of the class attendees.

AARP’s Smart Driver course was a popular offering on Amelia Island prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic derailed classes and instructors scattered. The Nov. 9 class marks an effort to reestablish the program in an area with many senior drivers, says Cyndi McDaniel, a Smart Driver instructor.

“The course focuses on helping people to drive safely longer,” she says. “Change is something that happens to all of us. Seniors are a little more aware of that than others. We talk about ways you can adapt, either the car or your choices, so you can drive safely and perhaps do it a little longer.”

The course also provides information about transportation options when you feel you can, or should, no longer drive, she says. Attendees will also learn about transportation options on Amelia Island, how ride-sharing works and how to set up carpools.

“You can find ways to maintain your independence and your transportability without being the one doing the driving,” McDaniel says.

Most course attendees will receive a discount from their auto insurer after completing the course, she says. How much of a discount depends on the particular insurance company. Course attendees are provided an AARP Smart Driver certificate to present to their insurers.

The fee for the course is $20 for AARP members and $25 for non-members.

AARP also offers the Smart DriverTEK Workshop, which instructs drivers on new automobile technologies and their relevance. Newer technologies include adaptive cruise control, reverse safety technologies, forward collision warnings, blind spot warnings, lane departure warnings and drowsy driver alerts. Course participants also receive updates on upcoming technologies and how transportation is changing.

Studies show new technologies commonly found in newer automobiles can reduce rear-end crashes by 50%.

Both the Smart Driver and Smark DriverTEK classes can be taken in a classroom or online. For more information, go to AARP or call 877-805-4115. To sign up for the Nov. 9 class, call the Council on Aging at 904-261-0701.

So, if you find yourself trying to eat with utensils while steering your car (6% of the Hyundai survey respondents admitted as such), perhaps it’s time to shed unsafe driving habits and adopt a safer approach on the road.

“People almost always find something they are going to take action on,” says Van Horn.