People taking the mature drivers’ course being offered March 9 by Seniors for Seniors will either become better drivers or be better prepared to make a decision about their driving future, says a Safety Services Manitoba official.

Only good things will result from the course, says Mike Waite, the company’s chief executive officer. No one taking the course will have their driver’s licence affected in any way.

“Success is difficult to measure, but they’ll learn a lot,” said Waite.

So who should take the course? “You, me, anybody over 50,” said Waite. “Most people still drive like they think they’re 20 years old.”

As drivers age, a number of physical impairments slowly begin to have a negative effect on a person’s driving skills, he said. Reflexes slow down, eyesight might diminish and hearing loss is also a factor. “Look at the roads today,” he said. “They’re far different from when a lot of seniors began to drive 40 or 50 years ago.”

Waite admitted that a number of people are reluctant to take the course because they fear they will have their licence rescinded. That is absolutely not true, he said. Some decide after taking the course, however, to voluntarily give up their licence.

Safety Services Manitoba is a non-profit charitable business that works with the government in a number of areas: occupational health and safety; road safety; and community programs such as Operation Red Nose and Threads of Life. “The (mature drivers’ workshop) program is funded by MPI and we get a grant,” he said. “The objective of this program is to keep our aging drivers on the road longer and safer.”

Kim Poppel, executive director of Seniors for Seniors, said about 50 people registered for a similar workshop the last time it was held a couple of years ago. “It’s pretty popular,” she said.

Poppel said participants will learn defensive driving skills and techniques, get an update on traffic laws and an explanation of the new merit-demerit system, from which most safe-driving seniors will benefit.

This workshop usually attracts a lot of couples, she said. “There’s a lot of finger-pointing going on — with a laugh” — about the driving skills of a spouse, she said.

The workshop is open to everyone — not just Seniors for Seniors members, said Poppel.

Registration is required by phoning 571-2050.

The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and lunch is included in the $10 fee.