Q: It seems like I’ve been renewing my driver’s license by mail forever, and now a notice tells me I must renew at the Department of Motor Vehicles office. Why? Any suggestions for success on the written test? A: You’ve asked two good questions that I’ll try to answer. According to the DMV, several conditions can preclude a person from having the opportunity to renew a license by mail. If you have a probationary license or a “failure to appear” on your record in the past two years, you will not be issued a renewal by mail. If you have been suspended from driving because of an illegal blood alcohol content in the past two years or if your record has a violation point count greater than one, you’ll need to go to the DMV to renew your license. You will also be asked to renew your license in person if you are older than 70 or have received two consecutive four- or five-year extensions. When renewing your license in person, be prepared to take an eye test and the written traffic law test. You will also have to have your picture taken and give a thumbprint or fingerprint. There are a few things you can do to prepare for the eye test. If you are due to have your regular vision checkup, arrange to do it before you renew your license. If you do need new glasses, make sure you are used to them before taking the test. To study for the written test, get the California Driver Handbook from a DMV office. Everything you may face on the test is in this manual. Read it all. After reading the book, take a sample test or two to see how you have done. You can find some sample tests at http://www.dmv.ca.gov . For questions missed, go back and review the section. A second reading of the handbook is helpful. Don’t study while doing another task that requires concentration. Don’t study for long periods at a time. After about 30 minutes your mind is saturated. Take a break and come back to it later. Get a good night’s sleep the night before and arrive in plenty of time for your appointment. Make sure you have your license, a working writing instrument and your glasses, if applicable. If you wear a hearing aid, make sure the batteries are good. HAPPENINGS Friday: “How Well Do You Know Your Partner?” game night. 6 p.m.; Goebel Senior Adult Center, 1385 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks. For information and reservations, call 381-2744. Various Medicare seminars will discuss Covered California, Medicare fraud and extra help programs. Thursday: 1-3 p.m.; Camarillo Health Care District, 3639 E. Las Posas Road, Suite 117 in Camarillo. For information, call 388-1952. July 30: 1:30-3 p.m.; Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi in Simi Valley. For information and reservations, call 583-6363. July 31: “Medicare Overview and Extra Help Programs.” 11 a.m. to noon; South Oxnard Senior Center, 200 E. Bard Road in Oxnard. For information, call 477-7310. Betty Berry is a senior advocate for Senior Concerns. The advocates are at the Goebel Senior Adult Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, or call 495-6250 or email betty@seniorconcerns.org . More …
