Should the elderly be required to take yearly driving test?

[AggieDave 6]

The incident with the 87 year old man driving his car through the farmers market yesterday brings up a much joked about, but serious question.

How good are the elderly at driving and after a certain age should people be forced to take an annual driving test to prove reaction times and awareness?

I say yes. But then again, in the past 2 weeks I was almost hit by two different elderly drivers (how they miss seeing my big-f***ing truck is beyond me).

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[freakydiver 0]

I've had beer discussions about this for YEARS. I know how badly my own father drives, he just plain doesn't pay attention when he's in a car and he is only 57. I honestly think it should be a yearly thing say for 60 on. No offense to those 60 and older, but there has to be proof out there showing that motor skills can and do deteriorate after a certain age.

I can't count the number of times I've seen an elderly drive do something because they weren't paying attention.

I couldn't be in more agreement with you Aggie. TEST THEM. These aren't little go carts we are talking about here.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[beowulf 1]

YES
absolutely they should be required for anyone over 60. Especially in Florida. I lived there for 5 years and can't count the number of accidents that I have seen or almost been involved in due to elderly drivers.

[Zenister 0]

this is almost a 'duh' but everyone should be required to prove they have the basic skills..it FAR to easy to get a drivers license in the US, where owning and driving as many cars as you can has become a national 'right' thanks to marketing and social influence from oil companies and automakers..

imagine how low your insurance and how high the speed limits could be if 40 % of the dirvers were taken off the road because they really lack the proper skills?

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Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[txblondie 0]

If it was FREE (since I already pay when I get my license renewed), I wouldn't mind taking another driving test every 6 years when my license expires. I'm held hostage by the DMV all day waiting in line anyway!
I think that there should be a regulation that, every so many years, you should be required to take the written test, and another for the driving, and that it should be required more frequently for senior citizens. I don't consider that any kind of discremination; it's for their own good. It's looking out for them as much as anyone else.

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Blondes do have more fun!

[chuteless 1]

it depends on what you define as "elderly" I'm 71, and I might be willing to take a test in about 15 yrs. Actually, I got my drivers licence at a hardware store for $3.00 back in 1952. Things have sure changed.

[Zenister 0]

basic motor skills and judgement could be tested in a simulator at the DMV (ala drivers ed classes) quickly and easily without to much hassle or expense once the systems are in place.

not quite the same as a real driving evaluation, but you could identify people who are having obvious issues (cant find the right pedal etc..)

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[freakydiver 0]

Yah but chuteless - everyone knows you have more cajones than most!!!!!!!!!!

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[Push 0]

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I don't consider that any kind of discremination

I do. We discriminate on the basis of their age.

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dis·crim·i·nate ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-skrm-nt)
v. dis·crim·i·nat·ed, dis·crim·i·nat·ing, dis·crim·i·nates
v. intr.

To make a clear distinction; distinguish: discriminate among the options available.
To make sensible decisions; judge wisely

Funny how calling something by a different name changes the way you percieve it.

Everyone should continuously prove that they are able to operate a couple of tons of steel at a very high speed without killing me or my family. I will be more than happy to go through the same demonstration.

EDITED TO ADD: Notice how I don't care a bit whether you kill yourself or not. You can go ahead and get yourself killed, it's your right.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[Jib 0]

One problem is the elderly don't know that they're a danger. I know of one woman who drove from Pennsylvania to Florida and back. The following week she went to her doctor for a routine exam. He asked how she got there and she said she drove... He said you know, you're legally blind!

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the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[freakydiver 0]

Hmmm - good point Push - I would submit to having to take a new test every year or every other year. There are probably just as many non-"elderly" out there that can't handle it.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[robskydiv 0]

Yes they should Dave. A few weeks ago, while I was in San Antonio, my wife's friend was driving her car with he three boys in the car and my son. She was stopped, waiting to turn left and Wham!
They were all rear-ended by an elderly man. Our friend drives a Buick Century and it was totaled. Luckily the only thing that cracked was Harrison's car seat. Everyone was ok.

[Iflyme 0]

I think you'll find that young men are responsible for far more severe accidnets than the elderly. Just yesterday, 2 young men were killed and a 3rd critically injured when the driver smashed his 64 Chevy Impala into a concrete utility pole at very high speed (in a 50 kph -- or 30 mph if you are in the USA) at 4 in the morning. The vehicle looked like it had been carved apart by rescuers using the jaws of life -- but it was the force of the impact that totally ripped this car to peices. A horrific scene. One of the dead was a promising lacrosse player, the other the son of a member of our Provincial Government. The driver is critical.

Too many young men driving like idiots out there, killing people.
If you speed, you are part of the problem.

[Zenister 0]

uh 30mph isnt high speed, it isnt even speeding (only 5mph over) in most places..

and you'd have to look at the number of particpants in each age group, then the number of accidents..

also remember sometime "elderly" accidents (that arent severe) arent reported since they are more likely to have enough money to pay off the damages in cash

(i know of 4 such incidents while i was living in FL)

driver didnt want it reported so offered to pay to repair the damage plus additional compensation for keeping quite...not the best policy certainly but it does happen, and never shows up as a statistic.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[txblondie 0]

dis·crim·i·nate ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-skrm-nt)
v. dis·crim·i·nat·ed, dis·crim·i·nat·ing, dis·crim·i·nates
v. intr.
To make a clear distinction; distinguish: discriminate among the options available.
To make sensible decisions; judge wisely

Based on the last part of the definition, though, it would be correct to assume we were "discriminating", but that it's not a bad thing. Besides, also note that I feel that ALL people, not just the elderly, should be retested. I see plenty of people who are NOT elderly who drive horribly, and I know there are occasions when I could improve my habits as well. And a simulator is a good idea.

Funny how calling something by a different name changes the way you percieve it.

Everyone should continuously prove that they are able to operate a couple of tons of steel at a very high speed without killing me or my family. I will be more than happy to go through the same demonstration.

EDITED TO ADD: Notice how I don't care a bit whether you kill yourself or not. You can go ahead and get yourself killed, it's your right.

[Jib 0]

Some elderly people can't see stop lights and T-bone cars in the intersection at 55 mph. Others who can't see over the steering wheel, suddenly cut across 3 lanes of traffic on I-95 after driving 55 in the left lane with the blinker on for 10 miles. Kids make mistakes and may drive fast, but at least they're capable of driving safely.

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the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[freakydiver 0]

"Kids make mistakes and may drive fast, but at least they're capable of driving safely."

I disagree - most kids are very unaware of their surrounding while in a car IMHO.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[chuteless 1]

we just had a kid on foot playing chicken with his "friend" in a car...the guy on foot was killed and the other guy fled the scene, and turned himself in the next day. He's not out on $5000. bail, and free to drive...Good old Canada eh?

[Push 0]

If they're capable, let them show it. Kids and elderly should legally be a high risk group, not just in terms of the insurance. I'm 20. Most drivers my age should not be driving. I would happily go through an annual, semiannual, or even more frequent driving tests. All the other morons my age should too.

Insurance is cure. Legality is prevention. You know what they say.

EDITED TO ADD: 37 votes and not a single no so far.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[Push 0]

Heh. I just got my renewed drivers license (my old one was stolen). It came with an organ donor card.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[FallingAngel 0]

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I'm 20. Most drivers my age should not be driving.

I sort of agree with this...While I feel a lot of younger drivers are just as bad (although in different ways) as older drivers, I feel that in the US younger drivers have to drive. The public transportation system in the US, IMO, isn't as good as it is other places so a lot of us, young and old, are forced to drive. I'm 21 and I couldn't imagine not having a car to get around (although maybe its because that's what I'm used to). How else would I get to the DZ??

[AggieDave 6]

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I think you'll find that young men are responsible for far more severe accidnets than the elderly

But that's not due to their inability to quickly react or from problems with old age. That's from being young and stupid. There are already PLENTY of laws that help curb these sorts of things.

DWI? Going to jail
Speeding? Expensive ticket, possibly jail
Reckless driving? Expensive ticket, possibly jail

The list goes on!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Opie 0]

75% of cell phone reports of drunk drivers to 911 turn out to be elderly drivers not drunk drivers.


disclaimer--90% of statistics are made up on the spot.

[QuickDraw 0]

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Should the elderly be required to take yearly driving test?

Not if my soilent green factory gets hold of them first.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[Opie 0]

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...... most kids are very unaware of their surrounding while in a car IMHO.

I find the similarities between kids and the elderly striking most of the time.