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- 37 million people will be over the age of 65 by 2020.
- 90% will be driving.
- 3 million drivers are over age 85 now.
- One guy interview on PBS Newshour has just had a license renewed that is good till he is age 100.
- Only Illinois requires seniors to take a road test.
1. Is it a “dangerous luxury” for old people to operate road vehicles?
(No matter how safely the old folks think they drive, do they still pose a high potential danger?)
2. At what age do you think you’ll stop driving and why? How will you get around?
3. Other thoughts?
I would much rather drive around with a bunch of older folks than one group of teenagers in two vehicles so if I targeted a group to get off the streets it would be dang near everyone under the age of about 25. I'll quit driving when I get too old to drive whether it is next week or when I am 113. By the time I quit driving I doubt that I will have the need to get around much of anywhere besides the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom and no vehicle or license is required to go to the other room in my home.
I would much rather drive around with a bunch of older folks than one group of teenagers in two vehicles so if I targeted a group to get off the streets it would be dang near everyone under the age of about 25. I'll quit driving when I get too old to drive whether it is next week or when I am 113. By the time I quit driving I doubt that I will have the need to get around much of anywhere besides the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom and no vehicle or license is required to go to the other room in my home.
Please, everyone who is tempted to bring up "others," see posts 419 and 420. If you want to start a debate or discussion about "older vs. younger" drivers, create a new thread. This one thread is about "very old folks on the roads" who likely have impairments, and what to do about one if we see that s/he is posing a danger to him/herself and others.
My FILs physician reported him to the DMV - and his license was effectively "Expired" at the end of 2011. He drove continually after that - despite not having any hearing, poor speech and residual from a stroke AND FAINTING SPELLS - SYNCOPE - in his late 80's. He would NEVER TURN HIS HEAD to look in his blind spot before making a lane change.
He thought he was FINE TO DRIVE. We knew of about 4 accidents - thanks to neighbors who called us - we are certain there were other accidents.
There is a belligerence by some - who think they will never have an accident that will kill someone. My MIL was terrified of driving with him - she is two years older. I am certain she was in the car when he was in his accidents. We reported her - because we knew she had significant mobility issues after a hip fracture.
She passed the written test. But they never got around the block in the behind the wheel test. She failed that - miserably. Also - never turned around to look before turning - poor hearing. Poor eyesight.
She and my FIL switch doctors more often than they change their underwear. They DO NOT LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO. Or what's wrong with them.
It's pure arrogance. And we put a stop to it before they killed someone.
Edited to add: My spouse went to move them and sell the car - the car was in such disrepair - it's a wonder they didn't have a breakdown from the car not being maintained.
P.S.S. They live in LOS ANGELES. Not a back country road. And yes, my FIL DID drive the freeways in his condition.
P.S.S.S. MANY of my inlaws elderly friends are in the same boat. But they actually listened to their children when asked to give up the keys.
My advice for the public is to stop speeding. For example, if a road is rated for 35 mph and if you are traveling at 45 mph you will be on me before I have a chance to drive out upon the road and pick up the speed.
My advice for the public is to stop speeding. For example, if a road is rated for 35 mph and if you are traveling at 45 mph you will be on me before I have a chance to drive out upon the road and pick up the speed.
Ironic you would mention that...usually older drivers, who are impaired, drive very SLOWLY...and are actually more of a danger to others, because of their slow driving on roads, meant for faster driving. They drive slow, because they think that this is safer, and they justify their driving because they go "slow"...great plan. Except when they are holding up traffic, and creating a hazard.
A road is rated for 35 MPH, and the older, impaired driver is going 20 MPH...
I think many impaired older drivers are going to keep driving because they have no real choice, given where they live.
My town is totally car-dependent. The Council on Aging has a van that will take people to the Senior Center, the supermarket, the pharmacy and the hospital. It is not a taxi service.
A lot of people have grown children in the area. Those of us who will not be in that position had better be thinking good and hard about where we live and how we'll deal with these things. I know I am.
A note, I mentioned the "crazy accidents" of very old drivers because they do seem limited to the very old, so something is likely going on there, that someone drives through a plate-glass window into a bank or store. I know it's not a majority of accidents, but the driving failure is so marked and the frequency of the driver being very old is noteworthy.
My advice for the public is to stop speeding. For example, if a road is rated for 35 mph and if you are traveling at 45 mph you will be on me before I have a chance to drive out upon the road and pick up the speed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasper12
Ironic you would mention that...usually older drivers, who are impaired, drive very SLOWLY...and are actually more of a danger to others, because of their slow driving on roads, meant for faster driving. They drive slow, because they think that this is safer, and they justify their driving because they go "slow"...great plan. Except when they are holding up traffic, and creating a hazard.
A road is rated for 35 MPH, and the older, impaired driver is going 20 MPH...
To put the above discussion in context, it is necessary to note that most streets and roads which have a posted speed limit of 35 are quite safe at 45. The setting of speed limits is more about revenue enhancement than about safety. I am 69 and I typically drive at least 10 mph over the speed limit at all times. I have done that since age 16. My reflexes and reaction times and alertness are still excellent.
I would go farther than Jasper above: On many streets the vast majority of traffic is moving faster than the speed limit, confirming my previous statement. The safest thing to do is to go with the flow of traffic. So the person driving at the speed limit is often creating the hazard and forcing people to maneuver around him or her.
If a person feels they need to go 20 in a 35 zone in order to be feel "safe", that is a pretty good indication that that person is totally incompetent to continue driving. Good Lord, I'm sure glad I don't live in south Florida!
I would go farther than Jasper above: On many streets the vast majority of traffic is moving faster than the speed limit, confirming my previous statement. The safest thing to do is to go with the flow of traffic. So the person driving at the speed limit is often creating the hazard and forcing people to maneuver around him or her.
If a person feels they need to go 20 in a 35 zone in order to be feel "safe", that is a pretty good indication that that person is totally incompetent to continue driving. Good Lord, I'm sure glad I don't live in south Florida!
In some states including my own, anyone who hits from the rear is at fault, no contest. One always wants to imagine the one who hits from the rear as not paying attention. Not always or perhaps even usually the case. A number of those who are hit are driving unusually slow, or with erratic pacing. I see elderly drivers driving well, but very, very slowly hoping to avoid an accident. Now more than ever I keep to the maxim of staying 3 or 4 car lengths behind another car.
While I'm on it, I will state once again that the most dangerous place for very elderly drivers is parking lots. More times than not they pull backward from a parking space without looking behind them because of range of motion difficulty. I make it a point to take the furthest spot far from the densely parked cars, even if I have to walk a ways to the store. Exercise is better than taking any chances.
Okay. If you go blind from macular degeneration, and still have some vision, you are going to keep driving? That is perfectly acceptable to you?
That is the ultimate in self centered, narcissistic thinking. All about you. Who cares about anyone else....
And I guess by the same token you are fine with ALL people driving.... Until one hits you.
And if some 20 year old goes blind from falling on his head should we take the car keys away from all 20 year olds? Oh yeah, I also gave the needle option.
The likelihood of a huge group of 20 year olds going blind from falling on their heads is remote... (they're more likely to suffer brain damage or worse not their eyesight).
The likelihood of all elderly losing the use of any of their senses, memory, reflexes, cognition - is great. It happens every day in greater numbers.
You are comparing apples to oranges.
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Typical speed limits
