Elderly Drivers

[smurfy2day]

Ok, not to start making any old people mad or anything, but some of them seriously need to stay off the road.

 

I have come to realize that until we get all of the people who need their licenses taken away, OUT of office, we will never be able to get laws passed to protect other people's safety.

 

They have laws against teenage drivers, but NOT old people?

 

What do you guys think of this?

 

[mac_philo]

Teenagers don't vote, whereas senior citizens have one of the most formidable lobbying groups ever created-the AARP.

 

[Dewjunkie]

I have always believed that after a certain age, senior citizens should be road tested every 2 years to ensure they are still able to maintain traffic safety. But, like mac said, as long as AARP is around and seniors make up the majority of the tax base, they'll be allowed to drive forever.

 

[KeepTheFaith15]

most seniors canot find the peddle on the right. grrr they go real slow. im gonna stand up for teenagers everywhere because i am one, we get looked down upon cause we drive a little too fast well what about old people and driver tooooo slow?

 

[strathyboy]

Originally posted by KeepTheFaith15
most seniors canot find the peddle on the right. grrr they go real slow. im gonna stand up for teenagers everywhere because i am one, we get looked down upon cause we drive a little too fast well what about old people and driver tooooo slow?

Look at the relative percentages of accidents caused by teenagers vs. accidents caused by old people, and I'm sure you'll understand why people are more concerned about teenage drivers.
In Canada, I believe that seniors have to go through a variety of tests, including a road test every few years. I should know this, since my grandparents complain about it all time, but I can't recall how often they have to do a road test.

 

[JohnR7]

My dad is 84. He went though 3 hours worth of testing to see if he could still drive a few years ago, and he passed all the tests.

I think if everyone had to be retested every 10 years there maybe a lot of people who would not be able to renew their license.

 

[Susan]

I believe that such road tests (or at least driver safety courses and medical reporting) should be mandatory.

While I would never want to keep a wonderful driver who just happens to be 85 off the road, I certainly would request that a dangerous driver find another method of transportation.

BTW not all senior drivers drive slow. Here in California, many drive fast and very impatiently. One time we were in a store parking lot on the way home from church and my father was driving slowly because the car in front of us was going a steady 1/2 mile per hour. We heard an insistent honk behind us, then that car pulled into a space behind us. To our surprise, we saw the driver was at least 80 years old at the youngest.

 

[Drought]

Look at the relative percentages of accidents caused by teenagers vs. accidents caused by old people, and I'm sure you'll understand why people are more concerned about teenage drivers.

Actually, as I understand the statistics, drivers aged 65+ are the second-highest risk category next to drivers 17-25.

 

[sunshine]

I agree that driving too slow can be just as hazardous as driving too fast.  for example, on the major highways in my city, the speed limit is 100 km/h.  you *have* to drive 110 km/h just to keep up with traffic, if not, you risk being tailgated or rear-ended.  I'm not advocating speeding, but the people who creep along at 80-90 km/h are hazardous...as are the people who weave in and out at 130+ km/h.

Originally posted by JohnR7
I think if everyone had to be retested every 10 years there maybe a lot of people who would not be able to renew their license.

I agree. I wish there was funding and resources to have drivers re-tested every few years.  it would certainly encourage people to concentrate more on their driving skill.  the testing every 2 years (?) after age 80 is a good idea.  but to think that a driver in Canada can go from age 18 to 80 without being tested any time in between!  it doesn't make sense.

 

[Brimshack]

Of course the other half of the driving slow patern is a slow response is the tendency to ignore stop signs altogether. Some of my closest calls have been with elderlies plodding right through stop signs without the slightest hesitation.

 

[Susan]

Ever heard of the "California Stop?" It isn't really stopping at all, it's just slowing about 5 or 10 MPH as you run the light or the sign. Those drivers scare me

 

[My Higher Self]

Yeah, I have mentioned this idea to my other half on several occasions.

Its really amazing that there is no law in place to ensure that they still possess the reaction times and awareness skills that are necessary behind the wheel of a car.

I believe they also cause a fair share of accidents that they aren't involved in, like when when a near dead pulls out in front of you forcing you to swerve into god knows what in an effort to miss em.

 

[Force]

Originally posted by Susan
Ever heard of the "California Stop?" It isn't really stopping at all, it's just slowing about 5 or 10 MPH as you run the light or the sign. Those drivers scare me

Yeah here in Vegas we call it a California Roll, and I hate california drivers they suck...I can say that cause we get tons of them and they all drive like they are in freakin LA.....

As for elderly people I think they should get tested every year.....Some old lady hit me a couple months ago and kept on driving, she must have been in her 80's......Now guess who has to pay for my dent!  ME!   And its a lease too GEEZ!

 

[CaptKC]

In my opinion, older aged drivers are more dangerous than teenagers. They drive slowly and sometimes don't have the reaction time needed to make for safe driving.

They should have to drive with an examiner before each renewal of a license.

My $.02.

 

[MSBS]

CaptKC, the statistics don't agree. Teenagers cause far more accidents. I work in the summer as a truck driver putting myself through school, so I spend a lot of time on the road every summer (12 hours + every day all summer long). Simply speaking, from what I've experienced the two worst types of drivers are teenagers and people in minivans with kids-- these two groups are FAR worse than the others. Last year a 19 year old girl ran a stop sign (at a T intersection mind you, not a crossing) and hit my fully loaded truck as I was traveling at about 50 mph. Luckily she was driving a fullsized SUV, and allthough it was destroyed, she was uninjured. When I ran back to the mangled heap that had been her car to see if she was still alive, she got out and said "Wow, I didn't even see you!"

12 feet high, 70 feet long, and a bright orange paint job, and she didn't see me.

 

[smurfy2day]

MSBS- The stats ARE there that elderly drivers are quickly and alarmingly becoming the second highest high risk drivers.

And since the "baby boomer" generation is soon becoming "elderly" they will be even more numerous than todays teens that are on the roads..... just a thought....

 

[Knight]

A lot of this depends greatly on your state's standards. Here in Indiana I'm afraid our standards aren't too high. I once saw a woman fail the eye test and get her license. Something about her glasses or contacts not being in yet. My response would have been, "Go and get your glasses/contacts and then come back for your license." But that's me.

 

[smurfy2day]

Originally posted by Knight
A lot of this depends greatly on your state's standards. Here in Indiana I'm afraid our standards aren't too high. I once saw a woman fail the eye test and get her license. Something about her glasses or contacts not being in yet. My response would have been, "Go and get your glasses/contacts and then come back for your license." But that's me.

 

I would RUN screaming from the DMV if I saw this... and only HOPE I beat the lady on the road home..... YIKES. I would DEFINITELY have told her to go back and get her classes. Geez.

 

[jon1101]

Originally posted by Knight
A lot of this depends greatly on your state's standards. Here in Indiana I'm afraid our standards aren't too high. I once saw a woman fail the eye test and get her license. Something about her glasses or contacts not being in yet. My response would have been, "Go and get your glasses/contacts and then come back for your license." But that's me.

Hmm, the standards here in Indiana really are that low? That explains a lot, actually...

-jon