Thoughts on elderly drivers?

After seeing this:

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Wo...lix/-/1637132/10957438/-/9hvxa7z/-/index.html


Stuff like that makes me sick. I was curious to see what the fellow TW populace thinks about elderly drivers, and if there should be an age where they need to give up their licenses, or at least get tested or anything like that.


I personally was T-boned in my old car when I was 16 by an 88 year old driver who hit the gas pedal instead of the brake at a stop sign. Not to mention the fact that their insurance and the police tried to pin the blame on me because of my age.


I think, at the very least, they need to be tested (like a basic driving test and a written test) every year starting at age 65.


Thoughts?

 

Tested every year after 70. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

 

i think the testing for a license should be harder at all ages, and you should be retested every time you renew.

 

I believe that after a certain age say 60 you should be retested every other year to see if you are fit to drive. I have seen several accidents caused by elderly drivers, and that is just my personal experience. I can only imagine how many accidents are caused by elderly drivers throughout the whole country.

 

Ah, that's a nice thought. I like that one.

 

I honestly think they should be tesed on a regular basis.
1. for functional motor skills
2. Basic understanding of road signs and lanes


My reason is simple in town we have 3 lanes the center is a turning lane, outside 2 head in opposite directions. Lanes only divided by yellow lines. Poor thing got in the turning lane and drove roughly 2 miles, she was speeding and crossed 2 green lights in the same fashion, luckily no one was on the road in the middle of the day for some odd reason.
On the other hand my Great Grandmother was roughly 98yrs old when she died and still drove everyday, never had one incident and was very aware.

 

I was stuck behind one the other day, the old fuck was going 40 in a 55. I was going ape shit....

 

^ lol

 

x2. The standard road test is a joke.

That being said, I'm torn on this one, I feel when you can no longer competently operate a vehicle, you shouldn't be allowed to. On the other hand, there are a lot of elderly people who take care of themselves either because they don't have family around, can't afford to have someone help them or are still working because they need the income. Forcing them to give up their license would make the roads safer for the rest of us but could be extremely detrimental to some.

 

I hope they had life alert.

 

Elderly drivers are almost as bad as young drivers

 

An actual driving test would be beneficial over a certain age, not just an eye check.

 

Don't even bother wasting your time and energy:
The elderly have the most money and most political clout of any group, and have ALL the time in the world to call their representatives, write letters, join groups etc.

Don't single them out. Change the whole licensing system.
1: 40 hour classroom course prior to Permitting.
2: 100 hours instructed time on road with permit.
3: 1st DUI offense- 1 year no license -No exceptions. Drug and alcohol classes mandatory after this.
4: DUI second offense- No license ten yers, no exceptions.
5: 3rd DUI- 1000 hours community service, weekend jail and no license forever.
6: Special license offered (RED license plate) 100 hours track time and special driver training. Cost is $1000 PER YEAR for special license. Your car must meet specific performance specifications, and only YOU are allowed to drive it. Benefit, you are allowed to travel at any safe speed for conditions and traffic, up to 100mph. Any DUI pulls your license FOREVER.
7: You're in the left lane and NOT passing- $500 ticket. No exceptions
8: You're driving on a suspended license, no insurance, expired tags. $500 ticket


I can go on and on and on.. I have thought about this a LOT. Roads would be safer, trafic would flow better, less people would be driving due to it being harder to get a license and the time and money involved. Mass transit would become much more widely spread AND used due to people NEEDING to get to work and not having a car. Insurance rates could go down, fuel usage would go down all due to more people on mass transit.
OK, I gotta get back to work..

 

I like a lot of this actually. just not the 100 hours road instruction, if that means with certified instructors....that is a lot of time. I had to have 50 with parents/guardians to get mine with 10 at night. Then change the DUI to 1 year for first, 2 years for 2nd, etc.....make a way to appeal it for those that have to get to work/school (ie: license to drive from home to work/school ONLY for the 1st 2 offenses). And change the not passing in the left lane, I travel in the left lane all the time keeping time with traffic on the right because I don't want to be between all the semis, who change speeds going up hill or down hill, I do this because it is safer, because the semis can actually see me.

And the red liscense is just a bad Idea, sorry dude. Sounds like you just want to go fast.



I like the idea of a driving test every year after a certain age. My grandfather drives, but he is dangerous because he isn't as quick as he used to be. We won't take his vehicle from him either because of what it would do to him emotionally. So we keep a close eye on him, pray, and deal with it.

 

x3

 

I agree, teens are horrible drivers.... I don't know how many times I've seen A 16 year old girl driving and texting at the same time...

 

I think singling out elderly is more of reflexes thing among other. I know for a fact that my grandfather's reflexes aren't what they used to be.

I am a teen and I will agree with you on wrecks, I actually caused one...I don't follow as close anymore. the 3 people that I hung out with in high-school have all gotten in wrecks in high school. all 4 of us had accidents with white cars too (don't know how we managed that). of them, only one wasn't their fault, and since it was in a parking lot, no cops called. the one that wouldn't have been at fault was backing out of a parking spot and hit one of out teachers (at school lol). She was driving like she usually does abotu 25-30 mph in a SCHOOL PARKING LOT. ya, no insurance called in on that one. I personally would have called insurance because I don't have money to pay for my own repairs.