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So, it isn't so much an issue of age as an issue of competence. I think we need to make the road test element of the driving test much more rigorous. We also need to introduce periodic retesting and be serious about disqualifying those who don't pass.
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Originally Posted by thecoalman
We don' let young kids drive cars because they have haven't developed enough mentally or physically, certainly the same thing should apply for those getting older who's mental and physical capabilities are diminishing. Commercial truck drivers have to take a medical examination. I think it's every two years, 1 year if you have a hazmat endorsement.
Agreed. Someone swerving into a tanker truck because they were texting or senile is just as dangerous as the person driving the tanker truck. I'd support mandatory, rigorous testing of ALL drivers. But could you imagine the lines at renewal time, and the cost? States are extending renewals farther and farther out, allowing renewals by internet and mail, and doing everything they can to cut costs and reduce the ridiculous lines at renewal time.
My solution:
- Greatly increase the difficulty of the exams. I believe I answered 20 questions over 20 years ago (of which only 16 had to be right). My driving test involved driving around one block and parking. This doesn't even come close to ensuring I actually know anything about traffic laws. So make both the written exam and driving exam much more comprehensive. Make people prove they are competent to pilot a 2-ton piece of steel at 70mph only inches away from other vehicles. This raises the starting competency for driving so maybe re-testing wouldn't be as onerous.
- Reduce renewal times to every 1-3 years, but allow renewal by mail or internet to reduce cost and lines at the service centers. Most people just mail in a check and get a new license a week or so later.
- For a certain subset of people, require re-testing every time they renew. Anyone who's received a moving violation ticket or been involved in an accident during the previous cycle. Anyone over the age of [insert age here between 70 to 80], or maybe anyone receiving Social Security payments.
- Randomly select a percentage of drivers (say, 10%) for retesting. Maybe just a written test and eye exam. If they fail that they also have to re-take a full driving test. This would statistically mean everyone should have to re-take the test about 2-4 times over their driving "career". If a LOT of people are having to re-test because of age or violations, then reduce the percentage of random re-tests.
- No mandatory end-of-driving age. My former mother-in-law stopped driving at 71 after her third wreck in a year. She should have stopped much earlier. A friend of mine is in his 80's and still as sharp and alert as anyone in their 20's. It's all dependent on individual capacity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mwruckman
No one on this forum seems to grasp the impact on a person's life if he becomes unable to operate a motor vehicle. The frustration of waiting for a taxi, the cost to travel just a mile or two from home. The hassle involved in going to a suprmarket where your shopping has to be restricted to what you can carry. If you need to work trying to get to work in what passes for mass transit in most of this nation. Then the risk you take everytime you try to ride a bike on the streets and roads in most of this nation. America is not a nation built or developed for a pedestrian. So when you complain about elderly drivers please ask yourself what alternatives to they really have?
I grew up in a very rural area. There were NO taxis, buses, or bike lanes. The term our church used for people who couldn't drive was "shut-ins". They often live miles from the nearest store and are dependent on relatives and friends for running errands.
My former mother-in-law struck a cyclist and knocked him into a ditch. Fortunately, he didn't get hurt, but he could have very easily been killed. Because this was her first ticket in decades, she was let off with probation (no ticket). Later, she backed into her mailbox and destroyed it along with the back of her vehicle. Private incident, so no police report. Then she ran head into a concrete bollard in a parking lot. No damage to the bollard, so again no police report. All four corners of her vehicle and my ex-wife's vehicle were severely scratched up, presumably because she'd run into other cars, bollards, or buildings and kept on going (legally, hit-and-run accidents). She kept on driving. Finally, she almost passed out and fell down on her way to her vehicle, keys in hand. If this had happened 15 minutes later she could have killed someone or herself, but instead she got a ride to the hospital. Finally, my ex got her evaluated and the doctor's recommendation was no more driving.
Ultimately, the question to answer is: it OK to sacrifice the lives of innocent drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians just so you don't have to go pick up grandma and drive her to the grocery store and beauty parlor?
Last edited by An Einnseanair; 08-30-2012 at 10:53 AM..
Just wonder if there is some statistics regarding age v.s. accident ?
As a poster indicates above that in our country there is only very limited alternative for transportation means, how mane people can afford to hire a chauffeur ?
Now let me say that I haven't lost any reaction time or anything else that would make me a bad driver, but I damned sure should be tested on the road.
I had an Uncle who was approaching 90 that still drove a small commercial truck, his own. He just enjoyed working and was certainly a better drive than most people on the road. He had to take a physical for the license, the only thing that stopped him was a slight stroke he had home but he was certainly safe up to that day.
Holy mother mccree. If I get to 101 I want to be driven around like Ms. Daisy by a supercute 25 yrold latina who also happens to be my house maid. Yeah my wife knows this dream. She figures shed be dead anyway so more power to me!!!
So when you complain about elderly drivers please ask yourself what alternatives to they really have?
I'm not complaining about elderly drivers in general, as an example I mentioned my Uncle above still driving a large truck nearly at the age of 90. Nothing wrong with that because he could safely do it without endangering others. The point is that lot of 90 year old people would not have the same physical or mental capabilities as him.
Ultimately, the question to answer is: it OK to sacrifice the lives of innocent drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians just so you don't have to go pick up grandma and drive her to the grocery store and beauty parlor?
I think the bigger question is to do something for the "shut-ins" What...? I dont know.
It's not always about not wanting to give granny or gramps a ride.
Sometimes granny or gramps may not have family or close friends available, or do not attend church.
Here we are heavily poulated by seniors, and have SUNSHINE Ride..
It's highly un-reliable and you just may be left "holding the bag" waiting to be picked up from a store for hours.
And there is NO public transportation except a 16 dollar round trip taxi ride in town
Come to Florida..you will want everyone over the age of 60 to stop driving...
It just depends...a family member here is 71 and she drives well...very alert and pays attention. My other family member is 68 and wha she needs to stop driving....almost killed me..but the state of Florida keeps renewing her license..
No one on this forum seems to grasp the impact on a person's life if he becomes unable to operate a motor vehicle. The frustration of waiting for a taxi, the cost to travel just a mile or two from home. The hassle involved in going to a suprmarket where your shopping has to be restricted to what you can carry. If you need to work trying to get to work in what passes for mass transit in most of this nation. Then the risk you take everytime you try to ride a bike on the streets and roads in most of this nation. America is not a nation built or developed for a pedestrian. So when you complain about elderly drivers please ask yourself what alternatives to they really have?
If that driver, elderly or not, drives the wrong way around a roundabout and down the wrong side of the road while he/she is on the way to the supermarket then I think we have a problem.
Elderly, young and inexperienced, distracted, simply stupid people, there are so many types of drivers to complain about and who can cause injury or death to others. I'm not about picking on anyone or coming up with a bunch of rules but we have done some work with new drivers and have graduated licenses types in some places, so doing something similar for the elderly doesn't seem like a bad idea. I don't know if we can slap an age on it though since people decline at different rates. Probably there is some study out there, or one that can be done, to figure it out.
Of course nothing we do is going to matter to someone who has access to a vehicle and decides to drive with or without a license.
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