Suggestions for Improvement

1. I signal and check to the rear when I change lanes.
   
2. I wear a seat belt.
   
3. I try to stay informed of changes in driving and highway regulations.
   
4. Intersections bother me: there is too much to watch for from all directions.
   
5. I find it difficult to decide when to join traffic on a busy highway.
   
6. I think I am slower than I used to be in reacting to dangerous driving situations.
   
7. When I am really upset, I show it in my driving.
   
8. My thoughts wander when I am driving.
   
9. Traffic situations make me angry.
   
10. I get regular eye checks to keep my vision at its sharpest.
    
11. I check with my doctor or pharmacist about the effects of my medications on my driving ability.
    
12. I try to stay abreast of current information on health practices and habits.
    
13. My children, other family members or friends are concerned about my driving ability.
    
14. How many traffic tickets, warnings, or discussions with officers have you had in the past two years?

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3. I try to stay informed of changes in driving and highway regulations.

The best answer is "Always," but "Sometimes" is certainly better than "Never."

Drivers of any age can be a menace if they do not know and follow "the rules of the road," no matter how good a driver they have been in the past. New traffic laws and devices include right-turn-on-red laws, directional signals regulating lane use, and shared left-turn lane markings.

Knowing the signs and symbols can help you, especially if your ability to see these devices is diminishing. Sometimes, just recognizing what the shapes of signs mean can help you anticipate their message. Familiarity and knowing what to do reduces hesitation and uncertainty when you need to make a decision fast.

Here’s how you can learn more about them:

• Obtain a current Driver’s Handbook from a Division of Driver and Vehicle Licencing office or in rural locations from a Driver Licencing Agency. Study the handbook as though you were taking the test.
  
  
• Take a "brush-up" lesson with a professional driving school or refresher course with Creative Retirement Manitoba.
  
  
• Make a point of reading articles in your local newspapers for changes in traffic patterns and special intersections or signage, so you feel prepared and confident. Magazines such as CAA Manitoba’s Going Places publish driving tips that can help you stay current.

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