She said they wanted participants to feel confident on the road and prepared for relicensing.
“We go over the road code, talk about tricky things like roundabouts, driving on open roads, and bike rules and different things that people may not be aware of.”
Stapley said an important focus of the session was road code changes, as some drivers may not have looked into changes over the decades since they first sat their licence.
“For a lot of our participants, they haven’t had to retest their knowledge for 50 to 60 years, so that is quite a long time to be driving without having any refresher.”
She said when drivers reached a certain age, it could become a real fear to lose their licence and their independence.
“It is something that is very scary and on the forefront of people’s minds, because it represents their independence and their ability to get themselves around.
“Driving is a very personal thing for people, and you wouldn’t think about this until you, yourself, were facing potentially losing your licence.”
The most common questions were about speeds on open roads and roundabouts.
Some elderly people held a strong stance and belief in driving more slowly.
“Their mindset is more that everyone else around me needs to slow down.
“Your safety is your responsibility, so they recognise if I need to go slower to keep myself and others safe, that’s fine.”
An NZTA spokesperson said partnering with Age Concern helped deliver road safety education in a supportive, familiar setting.
The refresher course covers topics such as roundabout signalling, the ‘Top of the T goes before me’ rule, blind spots and sharing the road with cyclists.
The course explains the licence renewal process, refreshes key rules, and provides relaxed reassurance.
“NZTA recommends that all drivers demonstrate patience, consideration, and courtesy to support a safer road environment for everyone.”
It was important that interested parties enrolled in the sessions.
This can be done through Age Concern Palmerston North by calling 06 355 2832 or emailing info@ageconcernpn.org.nz.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
