AARP to Offer 4-Hour Smart Driver Course in Kansas

Beginning July 1, Kansas drivers will be able to take just four hours—not eight—of a road safety refresher classroom course, thanks to a new law that was passed by the Kansas Legislature and signed by Governor Laura Kelley. AARP Kansas worked with representatives from AAA and the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office to get the bill passed by the 2019 Kansas Legislature.

Drivers in Kansas who complete a class, such as the AARP Smart Driver course, may be eligible for a car insurance discount that lasts for three years. (Check with your insurer about eligibility and the discount amount, which varies by company.)

Kansas was one of six states that still required such classroom courses to be eight hours. The course is open to licensed drivers of any age in Kansas; however, it is geared toward older drivers who are experiencing changes in vision, hearing, mobility, reaction time and other health-related issues. The course teaches participants how to be safer drivers, about new technology used in automobiles, and about new traffic safety laws that pertain to driving on Kansas roads and highways.

Participation in driver safety classes in Kansas has declined in recent years, and AARP officials hope the shorter program will lead to higher enrollment.

Go to the AARP website to find a course near you. Classes cost $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers.

Or take an online course at your own pace—$19.95 for members and $24.95 for nonmembers.