Elder Drivers - Touchy Subject (Boston, Woburn: mobile home, wedding, schools)

[capecodcathy]

We've all heard the news stories about Elder drivers and recent accidents. Do you believe this is being blown out of proportion in relation to the number of accidents that occur every day? Versus, teen accidents? Versus, OUI's? Are there any statistics out there comparing all three?
Personally, I know many Elders who are excellent drivers, with exemplary eyesight, reaction times, knowledge of the "rules of the road" etc. I also know many who should get nowhere near a car unless it's in the passenger seat, yet they are still driving. Some of them are a lot younger than the current, proposed age limits (85? 75? I think it varies. I just can't keep up). One, in particular, has been afflicted with Rheumatoid Arthritis for well over 30 years. She can barely grip the steering wheel or move her feet between the gas and brake pedals and rarely hits 25 miles an hour on a main thoroughfare where the limit is 50 mph.
I realize that she is trying desperately to accomodate her physical frailties with her reduced speeds, but where do we draw the line?
We are closing RMV offices statewide, so there will be fewer resources should we implement additional requirements on our Elders.
Is there a balance here?

[DreamworksSKG]

I think the driving age should be raised to 18 for younger drives- parents in the car until 18---since a lot of schools dont require cars on campus anyway ---the freshman year ---there should definitely be more frequent driving instruction and more on road testing as well. I also think there should be tougher penalties for losing a license for youth ---up to age 21. if you are in an accident...if its your fault---automatic revokation for 2 years and you have to take the safety class. If you get more than 2 moving violations in a 6month period or more than 3 ina year, license is gone --for a year. If you have a DUI automatic suspension for 1-2 years. This would get people thinking. Thery should also have a 3 strikes your out law until you are 25. if you violate these 3 times any of these-your license gets revoked for 10 years

I think tougher penalties would help cut back on the stupidness

also if you drive while on a cell phone which leads to an accident- jail time
and/or suspension fo 1 yr.
if you text or cell phone and get stopped by the police---3 times can be suspsned for 6 months.
if you are not wearing a seat-belt, and get caught 3 times-6 month suspension

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For elderly drivers I think if you can' t drive the minimum speed limit you shoudlnt be on the road It is very annoying when you're trying to get somewhere like work or school and you get stuck behind someone who cant even make it to 20 mph. - I mean come on. Obeying the speed limit is one thing but 10 miles below the speed limit. Not only that these elderly drivers who cant drive faster, are creating traffic tie ups and lines of traffic on streets. the cumulative effect of this is that people cant get around them and back ups occur. Not only that but police should also ticket people who deliberately stay in the left high speed lane who aren't driving over 60-70 ...the high speed lane is meant for higher traffic. and if you are going 60 or below you should be in the middle or right lane or at least have the courtesy to pull over. Its annoying especially on the stretch where its 3 or 2 lanes on 128...or 93. to get stuck for 10 miles behind someone in traffic who is blocking the speed lane, when you could have already been to your destination. Please people If you cant drive 65 or better pull over to the R 2 lanes..let the faster traffic through.

For elderly drivers there are many transit options. Towns provide senior shuttles, there's the MBTA RIDE service, and there's MBTA busses.
I think up to 75-80 people should be regularly tested for if they can drive a certain minimum speed. Have road tests like the youth ---to determine if they are driving too slow or cant observe the road well, and then they shoudln't be able to drive after that. The state shouldnt leave them hanging though and should provide services so they can get around and direct them to appropriate town services like the ride- senior shuttles in town. Maybe there could be more businesses developed that give rides to seniors. in communities.? More town bus systems would be good as well to provide more options.
After 80 I dont think seniors need to be drivingt hemselves.
I think 80 should be a cut off point for driving - and people should find bus service or senior services to get around there's options out there if you just do the research


It just annoys me whenever I'm running late , its always when you're late somewhere too and you're aon a non passing 2 lane road, and some elderly driver is going like 10 mph ---It really ticks me off.
At least drive the speed limit for ---sake.

[DreamworksSKG]

There should be minimum highway speeds just like maximum--except in traffic conditions of course. If its an open road---with regular moving traffic you should be able to get moving violations for driving to slow. This would help prevent elderly drivers from driving 20-10 mph on roads that are supposed to be going 30-35 -40..on...and a certain number of tickets you would have your license suspended and have to take more tests...-
if you couldnt reach a certain speed like the minimum---you would have to find other options like senior services - there are plenty out there
its just so annoying when you get stuck behind someone who is either blocking the fast lane and wont pull over on the highway or on a 2 lane road and they cant make the speed limit.

[goyguy]

Not that this would happen due to the additional layers of bureaucracy that'd be created. But I think the solution would be to have every physician equipped with a list of conditions which would impair driving ability in any person afflicted with them. The law would require reporting to the RMV whenever somebody was being seen and/or treated for one of those conditions. The list would be partly comprised of: Alzheimer's symptoms, irreversible eye problems i.e. macular degeneration, and alcohol and drug addiction. Imagine the fur that'd fly around that last one, lol - but think realistically about the reduction in DUI fatalities if known substance abusers had their licenses automatically and permanently revoked. There'd also be a positive ripple effect in that more folks might think twice on a New Year's Eve or after a wedding before causing an "amateur night" accident. A medical provider who didn't report someone to the Registry would be hit with a fine if that person went on to bring about death or serious injury behind the wheel. They would have to inform their patients, of course, and then that person in turn would have a set period of time to voluntarily surrender their license under penalty of arrest and a fine. I'm not in favor of setting a benchmark age beyond which no one could operate a vehicle, but mandatory annual tests after 75 I could live with.

[DreamworksSKG]

I still think after 75 they be road tested as well just like with youth to ensure they can drive the minimum speed limits..
a lot of traffic back ups would be prevented aroudn here if the seniors would stay out of the fast lane---(move over to the Middle or R lane) and drive the speed limit (at the very minimum not 20 miles below the speed limit)

If you cant drive 20 mph on a 35 posted limit you shouldn't be driving

[DreamworksSKG]

Not just seniors mind you but all traffic. PLEASE no matter what age you are if you cant drive 65 or higher stay out of the left lane and move over to the middle lane or Right slow lane. Thats what its there for. Its annoying when people have the ability to move over but just dont, and a huge line of cars lines up behind them in the fast lane, please people move over use common courtesty and let the faster traffic through

One other thing while i'm at it it. Please people use common courtesty ansd DONT BLOCK INTERESECTIONS. Thats another pet peeve of mine with Boston drivers. Can you please leave a space so people can get out of a driveway or enter a road. There's always this turn I make in Woburn on route 38 where people refuse to leave a space I Have to honk my horn at them to get them to move..---and if you're at a restaurant entrance or a gas station please leave a gap so people can turn L or R.

thank you

[brightdoglover]

(Currently 56 and impressed with how lousy my night vision was the other night in the pouring rain on an unfamiliar road). I don't see why older drivers, and me when I become one, should object to periodic tests, and way before 85.
The fact is, a lot of people are getting older in places where they are completely car-dependent. They haven't made plans or have options of living any other way. They are going to drive to the bitter end because they don't know what else to do. The accidents described with elder drivers aren't like the others on the road (DUI, speeding) but are just plain weird- driving into crowds, or buildings' front windows. Says to me that there are physical or cognitive failures there that differ from other accidents.
That said, I do think it's imcumbent on all of us who live car-dependent lives to have some sort of back-up plan for a time when we can't drive, not just aging in some suburb and driving with white knuckles, creeping in the right lane, to do the usual daily things.

[bmak57]

How about this..... I think EVERY driver should get tested every other year. I know people in their 40's that should not be allowed on the road. Forget text messaging... how about working on a spread sheet on your PDA while on 128? Or how about not signaling when taking a right because "you don't really need to... only when taking a left". These are real, from people I know. Lets just test everyone.

[Wack-a-Mole]

The hardest thing I have ever had to do was take my Mothers car away from her when I decided it was no longer safe for her to drive, she was 82. I used to make up some excuse for her to drive me someplace every Month or so just so I could see how she was handling driving. I started this when she was 70 or so.

[brightdoglover]

My mother was driving well past the point of safe (I hear from my father, I wasn't there). She finally passed out on the sidewalk and was unable to leave the mobile home at all. My father drove very carefully to a local store only with one eye and then let the car go, at least partly because he couldn't afford it. (He drove all his life for a living- taxi, delivery, etc.)
He happens to live within a good walk to the train (for Philadelphia and Atlantic City) and walks to the store and other necessities, although it is a good long walk. He could take a taxi if need be (and if he could afford it). I think it's lucky that my mother bought a mobile home relatively near public transportation (it wasn't a plan). I always offer him to move in with me, which he appreciates, but my town here in Mass. is totally car-dependent and he's more a city boy (also no access to gambling here. Not yet, anyway).

I worry about the many many people aging in car-dependent areas with no plan or means to make a change. Not everyone has a grown kid in the area or at all, either. It's a trainwreck slowly unfolding in front of us all.