Would you be in favor of retesting driving skills for older motorists?

[True Dough]

I've heard/read a number of opinions on this topic over the years and I'm wondering where DUers weigh in on this.

Should there be a particular age, maybe 70 or 75, where drivers have to demonstrate their driving skills in order to maintain their licence, and then continue to do so every year or two?

We all know older folks who insist that they're still capable of driving even though we're highly skeptical of their abilities on the road. It's 2017 and "ageism" is politically incorrect, but do you believe that for safety's sake there should be laws enforcing retests at a certain age?

***I fully acknowledge that there are terrible drivers of EVERY age on the road (some younger drivers are far worse than some septuagenarian or octogenarian drivers, but the decline of vision, cognitive and motor skills cannot be denied as we age.***

[hlthe2b]

1. Perhaps... I'm still amazed & disgusted that driver's education is no longer a requirement

or even offering for most high schools.

So, while I don't doubt there are issues with older drivers, at least most of them learned the basics at one point.

[crazycatlady]

12. Drivers ed was not offered at my HS (grad 98)

However, there are many more restrictions placed on younger drivers. My cousin (17) just got her license and she had to log 500+ hours behind the wheel with her permit (her dad had to sign off) and is restricted to one passenger until she's 18 (PA requirement).

When I was learning to drive, I did many parkway (Saw Mill, Taconic State-- NY) trips with my dad. Today NY permit holders can't drive on those roads.

I've always said I'd never get elected to a state legislature because I would place the same kind of scrutiny on older (70+) drivers as I would on younger (under 21) drivers. However, the difference is one group votes and the other can't or doesn't in large numbers.

[ChubbyStar]

15. I spent $300 for classroom lessons for my 16 year old ( Two days)

And I will be spending an additional $385 for behind the wheel training. Three behind the wheel sessions. Once she completes the behind the wheel classes she can drive with me, and believe me she will be driving a lot with Mom in shotgun until I feel she has mastered the fundamentals. Also cell phone will be in the glove box. I don't fear older drivers but I do fear young ones.

[LeftInTX]

29. In Texas it never was

My husband had to enroll in a private driving school. He graduated in 1976.

I took driver's ed through my public high school up in Wisconsin. (1973) It was free.

I think it is a state budget thing. TX has always had a very limited budget.
WI was very different back then.

[tammywammy]

146. I graduated in 1999

It was offered during the summer. Everyone I went to school with took driving classes that included classroom and actual driving training with one of the other companies offering it - Austin Driving School or Sears mostly.

A friend with a 20 year old daughter now, she did her classroom training online and the parents did the vehicle training. Then she had to pass a driving test for her license. When I did it in the summer of 1997, the paid course signed off that I had completed everything required in a DMV driving test.

[Jim Beard]

148. I took Drivers ED in Texas in 1963

I assume it was the local districts option. Back when Teachers worked during the summer, it was our coach who installed that extra brake pedal in his car and charged us all a fee that wanted their drivers license 2 years ahead of time. Got mine a 14.

[LeftInTX]

150. LOL!

Didn't Rick Perry's daughter get a "hardship" license at 15, so she could drive herself to private school?

[Jim Beard]

152. LOL, you got me on that one. Sometimes I just have to laugh rather than cry about my state I used to

be so proud of.

[marybourg]

66. I don't believe driver's ed was ever a requirement.

But it certainly was offered more during a particular period than it is now.

[WinkyDink]

76. Yes, it was, in many schools. Not the driving part, but at a minimum the classroom lessons.

[marybourg]

100. Oh, well that's a good idea; everyone should know the traffic laws,

even if for biking and walking, but I can't imagine that any district would make actual driving mandatory.

[hlthe2b]

106. So, you are calling me a liar?

Last edited Tue Aug 15, 2017, 11:47 AM - Edit history (1)

IT MOST CERTAINLY WAS AT ONE TIME.

See POST 140 if the person who commented so rudely toward me will dare to be educated.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

129. I attended two different high schools in two different states,

and drivers' ed was NOT a requirement in either school. In ninth grade we did get a semester of health and safety, which included watching movies about the horrors of car accidents, but I don't recall there being an content containing rules of the road. Just an attempt to scare us off from every wanting to drive.

It may be that the school you attended required drivers' ed, but trust me, many, maybe most, schools did not.

[hlthe2b]

132. It was in the schools my sister and I attended. Just because it wasn't in yours does NOT give

the other poster (nor you if you wanted to do so) the right to insinuate I am lying!!! Saying they "don't believe me" is just THAT.

There needs to be one hell of a lot more civility on DU and that means all of us calling out this kind of crap.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

136. Your wording implies that drivers' ed was a requirement

in most states. It never was. No one is suggesting you're lying, just that you got it wrong.

[hlthe2b]

140. I most certainly did not. I said "driver's education is no longer a requirement

OR even offering for most high schools". What part of that statement justifies YOUR claim? It does NOT.


Perhaps if you argue it wasn't EVEN OFFERED in most schools in past decade you should read the following:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-28-drivers-ed_N.htm

Driver's ed set for revival in public schools
High school driver's ed was nearly universal 30 years ago. Today it is offered in only a fraction of schools in standard curriculum. About 15% of eligible students take high school driver's ed compared with 95% in the 1970s, says Allen Robinson, CEO of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association, which represents about 50,000 public and private driver's ed teachers.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-28-drivers-ed_N.htm

Again the incivility of those who disagree with even minor points IS DISGUSTING.

[Freddie]

104. My district (PA) offered it eons ago

Not a state requirement and it was a budget cut back in the 80s, and of course once cut it will never come back.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. That's the law in Illinois.

[redstatebluegirl]

3. How old are you?

Yes, drivers who are horrible should not be driving, but I see more "distracted drivers" who cause accidents, 20 somethings, than older drivers. I was hit by one last week and they gave her a ticket. She tried to say she wasn't texting but the cop pushed her and she finally admitted it.

[mythology]

9. This. I think everybody should be tested frequently

It might help get people to remember that paying attention is vital.

[LeftInTX]

32. I agree

[FuzzyRabbit]

87. I second your agree.

I am 71 and have been driving for 55 years (got my license in 1962) and have never caused an accident. My last ticket was in 1974.

I'll never forget meeting a 25 year old who had already totaled 8 cars, and was still driving. She thought everyone caused at least one car accident every year, and was shocked to learn that I had never caused an accident.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

130. I'm only a couple of years younger than you,

and I recall being shocked when, as a parent of teens, I met parents who assumed that each kid would total a car at least once in the early years.

That 25 year old had no idea how lucky she was to be alive. I wonder if she still is.

[True Dough]

14. I'm 44

And I've witnessed a number of elderly people who insist on getting behind the wheel even though they're a liability on the road. It's a real conundrum because they're still functioning human beings who are determined to maintain their independence, but their skills are visibly eroding.

As for distracted driving, I'm fully in favor of strong penalties for guilty parties. Much like drunk driving. Perhaps you didn't make it to the bottom of my OP, but I acknowledge that some younger drivers are more of a hazard on the road than some older drivers. It doesn't eliminate my question about retesting, however.

[LAS14]

89. How many young people have you witnessed driving dangerously?

[Jim Beard]

151. I have not been keeping count but the young ones are the winners.

[DrDan]

4. I would support it - perhaps 75 - eye test, hearing test, driving test

a test of skills is certainly better than either (1) letting folks drive untested or (2) a max age for driving.

I am sure there are huge differences in the loss of driver skill based on age. A test would hopefully save lives - including those of the senior drivers.

[Wellstone ruled]

19. This is a requirement in Nevada.

In fact,the day I had to renew my License,there was a announcement on the Media Message Board at the DMV,that the DMV had just renewed the license of a 105 year old Lady some where in Nevada.

Most of our accidents here in Vegas are Booze related or Texting related and it covers all age groups.

[loyalsister]

22. Reaction times and motor skills also change with age

It's natural as our bodies change with age. I think we should be practical about changing capacities. We should adjust our standards as the number of older drivers is increasing for the safety of us all.

[SwissTony]

45. I'm in my mid 60s

and when I'm being driven by one of my daughters and we're stuck behind a "slow" driving car, I often joke and say "I think I'm driving that car". My daughters laugh.

I don't drive like I did in my mid-20s...and the world is grateful, I suspect.

[loyalsister]

53. Unfortunately my grandma can't say the same

She continued to drive despite having lost peripheral vision due to a stroke at 68. Maybe it's time to think about how it influences public safety when the odds of compromised skills among a specific population begin to change. Especially when they are operating with literally tons of force.

[MuseRider]

69. I had an Aunt in Florida

who was legally blind. She lived alone and was allowed a drivers license because she could tell the shapes of the buildings enough to know where to turn. I am serious. I had the pleasure of finding that out after taking a pretty awful drive with her to the grocery and back as a kid. She sure was able to get there but sometimes those pedestrians trying to cross were lucky they saw her coming.

[janterry]

85. Too funny!

I guess my grandpa wasn't the only one.................

[TheBlackAdder]

122. Yes, every octogenarian I knew had been in multiple accidents before they died.

.


Several were turning accidents, where they turned directly into the flow of traffic.

Luckily, nobody died and two od the drivers had family take their licenses away, but a third kept driving.

He averaged one to two accidents a year, and of course, it was always the other person's fault.

.

[Thirties Child]

141. An octogenarian begs to differ.

I'm an octogenarian, got my drivers license when I was 15, have been driving for 67 years, and, knock on wood, have never even gotten a ticket. That said, I think it's a good idea to retest octogenarians. (Except for parallel parking. Couldn't do it then, can't do it now.) My husband, who is 79, doesn't drive, shouldn't drive. Wet macular degeneration in both eyes.

When I was 21 a man in his 90 hit my parked car on the passenger side. He had to drive on the sidewalk to do it. I pressed charges, he lost his driver's license, his family was happy.

[TheBlackAdder]

145. Well, there are always the outlier exceptions.

[Jim Beard]

154. I am 70 and will be up for renewal in 7 months. Currently they don't require glasses..

but I know they will next time since I wear them anyway. I think testing should be more frequent starting at 75.

Anyone remember George Carlins skit about getting behind a really slow car and he said "Wait a minute, I see knuckles on the steering wheel".

[LAS14]

5. It depends on whether the percentage of accidents....

.... is significantly greater for the target older age group than it is for people from 16 to 25. Does anyone have those figures? I think seriousness of accident should be taken into account as well. if we can tolerate risk from the population of younger drivers, we should tolerate it from older ones also.

[loyalsister]

90. Or maybe potential for accidents?

I have a seizure disorder and there are restrictions for me and other people with epilepsy to drive based on the increased odds that something could go wrong. I don't see a similar calculation as a ridiculous standard to apply to a population that has reached age of onset of difficulty with a number of skills associated with safe driving.

Why wait until the accidents happen when the numbers suggest that they will?

[LAS14]

94. Because there are the same kind of risks associated with...

... young drivers. Why target an older population when a younger population goes free? A great deal of what we do is based on risk assessment. Let's just apply the same standards to all age groups.

[loyalsister]

113. Really?

It's as easy for a 60 yr old to ride a skateboard and play video games as it is for a 20 yr old?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK97342/

Did you ever notice that by age 50 the majority of people are beginning to use reading glasses? Or the increase in the need for hearing aids that becomes more frequent with age?
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/aging-changes-in-the-senses/overview.html

These changes are natural and should not be generally viewed as a negative. Compensation possibilities should be available. That would include alternate transportation options. Practical realities should dictate public safety more than personal preferences.

As I noted in a post above, I am among a population who has an increased chance of losing control of a vehicle. Therefore, my potential for licensing is different from people who don't have an increased chance of that. It's pretty basic math and I have no problem with regulations demanding I be responsible about it. Not everyone discloses the fact of that risk, and it's irresponsible not to.

[Wounded Bear]

6. Older driver here and I would probably support the idea to a degree...

Their doctor should be involved, and family members. We all know the old joke:

I want to die like my grandfather did, peacefully, in his sleep, not screaming and yelling like the other people in the car.

People close to elders should be conscientous and monitor their family in these situations.

[Raster]

7. Yes. I am 60. I live in East Maricopa County, Arizona, home to numerous "snowbirds"...

...in the winter months. I see examples daily of bad drivers of all ages, ESPECIALLY older drivers that are obviously over stressed and over tasked by city and metro driving.

[marybourg]

70. Yes, and in Maricopa county, the older you get

the more frequently you get tested. But it's still amazingly long between tests. I'm here 24 years and I don't believe I was tested more than once, after my initial license app as a new resident. My next one comes up next year, and that's probably only because I'll be over 75. It's a money-saving decision.

[Raster]

82. Let me be frank, I have lived and driven in Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle...

...and I am APPALLED by Arizona drivers, in general. I take the 60 into PHX every morning, and I see at least one accident EVERY FREAKIN' DAY... I have "fondly" labeled the 60 as "Deathrace 5000."

[JonLP24]

139. I got a driver's license here in 2005

I don't know if anything has changed but all they made me do was drive around the block by the courthouses in Mesa which don't get a lot of traffic. I don't drive since my Taxi job but I get over stressed and over tasked especially in certain areas like downtown Scottsdale but the driving test was a breeze.

[CountAllVotes]

8. Older drivers pay less for insurance

Many reasons for this.

Many older people don't drive much anymore and yes, they are retested now and then, esp. if they have a violation/ticket/accident on their record.

They should otherwise be treated no different than other responsible drivers.

The main threat on the road is young people with their phones texting while driving FYI.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

131. Drivers over the age of 25 generally pay lower rates than those younger,

but I'm under the impression that over 70 or 75 their rates go up. I'll have to ask my insurance guy about that.

[HeartachesNhangovers]

10. This is another of those educate vs regulate issues,

and I generally prefer that the government try education before it uses the heavy hand of regulation. Do older drivers have more accidents? If so, examine the causes of those accidents (for example, deteriorating night vision) and then do an information/education campaign so that people know their limitations.

[CountAllVotes]

13. Texting while driving

And I don't know of very many older folks that text and drive!

>>A 2010 experiment with Car and Driver magazine editor Eddie Alterman, which took place at a deserted air strip, showed that texting while driving had a worse impact on safety than driving while intoxicated. While legally drunk, Alterman's stopping distance from 70 mph (110 km/h) increased by 4 feet (1.2 m); by contrast, reading an e-mail added 36 feet (11 m), and sending a text added 70 feet (21 m).[5] While celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey have campaigned against texting while driving, there are reports that the message has not been getting through to teenagers.[6]

A 2010 experiment with Car and Driver magazine editor Eddie Alterman, which took place at a deserted air strip, showed that texting while driving had a worse impact on safety than driving while intoxicated. While legally drunk, Alterman's stopping distance from 70 mph (110 km/h) increased by 4 feet (1.2 m); by contrast, reading an e-mail added 36 feet (11 m), and sending a text added 70 feet (21 m).[5] While celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey have campaigned against texting while driving, there are reports that the message has not been getting through to teenagers.[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texting_while_driving

[Kleveland]

134. Driving while texting, or using a phone in hand should be considered DUI.

It is quite obvious that attention, reaction time and ability are impaired during these distracting activities.

I drive very defensively at all times, because I don't ever trust the "other guy".

In the past several years since the onslaught of personal devices, the drivers on the road have become a much greater hazard.

I am sure that there are actual national statistics on this, that would bear that out.

I have had an unbelievable number of near collisions with these selfish thoughtless idiots on the road.

[CountAllVotes]

137. When I see someone talking on a phone while drivig

I clench my hand as if I am holding a phone and put my hand next to my ear and look at the person (if they can look away long enough to see me). Some times it works, some times it does not work.

I too have been almost hit by a drivers with a phones/text message devices several times in the last year or so.

I agree, while I see signs that say DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE it doesn't seem to do much to get people to stop doing it. It is hazardous, I agree and very dangerous!

[LeftInTX]

47. I bet they are more involved in certain types of accidents than 30-60 age drivers

They also have a much higher rate of lane change accidents than younger drivers. Lane changes require quicker thinking, faster reaction, physical flexibility, good vision.

They have more unprotected left turn accidents than 30-60 age.

I took the AARP senior driving course.

I avoid unprotected left turns by turning right several times.

Also older adults are more likely to sustain injuries from minor accidents than younger adults.

ETA: The most common injury in minor auto accidents are whiplash type injuries. I sustained whiplash when I was 43. I was injured. I cannot imagine what it would do to me now.

[madokie]

11. after going for 10 years without a license

I had to retake the test. By the time I realized my license was expired I had to retake the test so I drove for several years without a license just to see if I could get by with it. Finally the worry got too much and I did what I had to do.
The thing is it took me 2 tries to pass my written test and this was after a month of studying all the online manuals I could find. Reading the OK manual numerous times but none of that prepared me for that written test. Most of the questions were got ya questions.

I took that test at the ripe old age of 66
The driving part wasn't a problem but the written part sure was.
Questions like how far from an intersection do you turn on your turn signals. I chose 100 yards and it was wrong. Cant' remember what the right answer was but it was less that that. Hell in driving might turn on my signal a quarter mile away, depending on traffic.
How far from a fire hydrant do you park
how close to a train track do you get before you stop. The answer to that one was 15 ft. I chose 75 ft.

[ChubbyStar]

20. Call me next time brother I'm 58 and have never scored less than perfect on a driving test

I'm the Rain Man of driving tests!

[madokie]

50. Cool

[War Horse]

16. Depends *very* much on how it's done

My aunt just turned 82. She was a very stable driver until she turned 81, now she really doesn't want do drive anymore. Feels it's unsafe.

My friend's dad is tested yearly after 71. It's not even a driving test, just eyesight etc. Yet he's fuming about it every time.

We all see that while he's still a safe driver, it's deteriorating. He doesn't see that, but we all see that he needs those yearly tests.

Keep it as unobtrusive as possible I guess.

[CountAllVotes]

18. My husband quit driving

He has problems with his eyesight. He is legal to drive still but HE decided to give it up, it was HIS decision, not some bureaucrat.

Prior to his decision to quit driving, he was tested behind the wheel and given a written exam every year for the past five years. He passed both tests 100% but decided it was not a good idea any longer. You would not believe the crap he takes from other people for giving his license up! Unbelievable!

[War Horse]

24. My aunt can still legally drive too

but chooses not to. And that's probably a good thing, I must admit.

I hadn't thought about that. It must be hard enough to give up driving without people giving you crap for it.

People can be... well, people some times.

[CountAllVotes]

27. It angers me

People say that he has to "depend" on "good old reliable CountAllVotes" and that he is a fool for making this decision being the eye doctor said he was good to drive.

It was HIS decision and I fully support it if that matters any.

He did not want to chance hurting someone. to him is all I can say!

[War Horse]

33. Well kudos to him :)

[True Dough]

36. Loss of confidence behind the wheel

is a paramount factor, which, in your husband's case is surely impacted by his failing eyesight. I admire your husband for doing what he feels is in the interests of everyone's safety rather than being pressured into carrying on.

[yellowcanine]

43. This is more common than people think.

Many older people will stop driving at night or make other adjustments such as only driving on roads they are very familiar with at times when there is not as much traffic. Also they tend to obey speed limits and slow down more when conditions are bad. People who wear glasses have to have their eyes tested before their license is renewed - and some states require renewal yearly after a certain age. But the main problem on the road is lack of judgment by drivers and generally older people score higher in that category.

[roody]

117. Many men are too proud to give it up.

Congratulations for having a sensible husband. Dementia also impedes some elders in their decision to drive when they can no longer do it safely.

[hlthe2b]

17. According to CDC and AAA, older drivers are NOT the problem

http://newsroom.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SmartFeatures-FactSheet.pdf

Older drivers are incorrectly deemed risky due to their age.
◆Despite public perception, older drivers do not pose a disproportionate threat on the roads. On average,
drivers in their mid- to late-80s have lower crash rates per mile driven than drivers in their early 20s and
roughly half the crash rate of teenagers
(AAFTS 2012)
.
◆Not until age 85 and older do drivers begin to experience the highest rate of fatal crash involvement compared to any other age group
(AAFTS 2012)
.
◆Fatal crash involvement for drivers over age 85 increases because older adults are more likely to die when they do crash, not because they pose a great risk to others
(Kent et al. 2009)
.
◆The rate of fatalities per 100,000 population for older people has decreased 42 percent since 1975 and was at its lowest level in 2009
(IIHS 2010)
.
◆Keeping older adults off of the roads is not necessarily the best option: cessation of driving can contribute to social isolation, depression and a variety of other health-related issues
(Marottoli et al. 2000; Marottoli et al. 1997)
.

[LeftInTX]

63. Adults over 60 are more likely to be involved in:

certain types of accidents: Lane changes and unprotected left turns.

They are more likely to sustain injuries from minor accidents. For instance whiplash in a 60 year old is usually much worse than a 30 year old. Insurance companies do not like whiplash etc.

But I totally agree keeping seniors off the road is wrong.

[WinkyDink]

78. Source?

[LeftInTX]

80. I took the AARP senior driving course

I learned it there.

[hlthe2b]

102. I'm betting those that one to restrict older drivers aren't worried about their being injured more

If you read the stats, they are NOT more likely to cause accidents, especially fatal wrecks. That is the province of younger drivers texting, speeding, drinking and inexperienced. Those are the facts and NO I am not an older driver, but I believe in being fair.

[riversedge]

95. I was going to suggest maybe between ages 80 to 85 yrs.

[msongs]

21. I suspect younger males kill the most people in vehicle wrecks nt

[CountAllVotes]

23. Correct

Which Age Group Causes The Most Car Accidents ?

Car accidents are one of the principal reasons of death due to unintentional injury, if the CDC statistics are to be believed! According to the report made by the CDC’s National Center for Injury prevention and control, around 9.2 million kids below the age of 20 have been admitted to the emergency section due to an unintended injury and 12, 175 left dead since the first half of the present decade.

From the year 2000 to 2005, unintentional injury has been responsible for 44% of the deaths of children and teenagers below 20 years of age followed by death due the lack of any injury at 38 percent and intentional injury at 18 percent, while among the infants, deaths due to unintended injury is a mere 4 percent.

One of the primary reasons for unintentional injury includes motor vehicle accidents that affect 829 children per 100,000. In fact, 60 percent of the unintentional injuries are related to road traffic and road transportation. Males are more prone to death than females in unintentional injuries at a death rate of 19.3 against of 10.4 per 10,000 females. Racially, American Indians and the native males from Alaska have the highest death rate of 29.8 per 100,000 people while Asian or Pacific Islander females have the lowest at 5.4 per 100,000. The death rates of blacks and whites are similar at 19.5 per 100,000 people for boys and 10.5 per 100,000 people for girls.

Geographically, the northeast regions have the lowest death rates with Massachusetts at the lowest for kids aged 1 to 14 and for teens aged 15 to 19, the District of Columbia fared the lowest. Deaths related to transport were the highest across the South and the upper Midwest.

http://www.rocketswag.com/legal/personal-injury/auto-accident-settlements/Which-Age-Group-Causes-The-Most-Car-Accidents.html

[VMA131Marine]

25. Young people are also the least likely to wear seat belts

[jmowreader]

26. While we're at it, let's go one better

Every ten years, starting at the age of 30, require all drivers to attend a short driving safety refresher course. Set the price to free so it won't discriminate against the poor, allow everyone to take the class any time in the year before their decade birthday, and come up with a uniform class the states can download from the feds and present. They could even do it online.

[True Dough]

38. I wouldn't be opposed to that either

It's sort of surprising the government hasn't instituted such measures already, if not in the name of public safety at least to create a new revenue source.

[honeylady]

28. Yes absolutely

My mother finally had her license taken away when she was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 85. She had to have been a hazard on the road, though I never drove with her then.

No later than 75. Im 68 and I will be glad to get tested when I turn 75.

[WinkyDink]

30. Why not raise the age to about 20? "Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three

times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash."

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/index.html

[True Dough]

39. That's a suggestion

worth thinking about as well.

[JoeStuckInOH]

57. the problem is inexperience... not age.

Bump up the age to 20 and then ages 20-22 will have horrible crash numbers. It often takes a year or two for drivers to become fluent in driving. As with anything, it takes time to master things - it's 99% mental at this stage.

The argument for testing elderly drivers is completely different... mostly due to the deterioration of sight, hearing, and reaction time. They probably know everything there is to driving... they just can't execute very well anymore.

[WinkyDink]

74. That is a statement of opinion. The source, the CDC, says nothing about "experience.'

So the statistic stands as is.

BTW: I'm 67 1/2 and just had cataracts removed from both eyes. I now have 20-20 distance vision, which I have not had for 60 years. My hearing is just fine, TYVM. I don't text or use a phone at all in the car.

[JoeStuckInOH]

115. Do you think hours behind the wheel of a car and experience contribute to good driving?

Just because the CDC doesn't mention experience doesn't mean it's not a big factor in safe driving.
As well are sensory skills and reaction time a large factor in the ability to drive safely.

And despite anecdotal datum points of great vision and hearing... that is simply not the case for many senior citizens. I recall reading a study (Canadian or French, I think) that concluded reaction times peak in the early 20's and decline something like 15% for every 15 years thereafter... or basically 1% per year.

point is, nobody's a perfect driver and some demographics have more predisposition than others to experience difficulty driving. Drivers licenses should be an indication that the bearer is capable of safely driving with others' on the road and there's no guarantee that someone can drive as well as they did when they got the permit 1 year ago or 20 years ago. For that reason, everyone really should undergo a drivers test on some regular interval... say upon each renewal of the Driver's license.

[JonLP24]

143. Think about it

I got my license when I was 18 and first time I was at a major intersection I was thinking about "right turn on red" I didn't even think about the green arrow so when I turned a car was coming toward me so I drove on the sidewalk. Not long later I was in AIT in the Army as an 88M (heavy vehicle operator) and ran into a sign with a 5 ton or a deuce & a half on a driving course . I didn't drive at all after AIT for several months except one time a soldier with multiple DUIs had someone drive his car to the motor pool (all we did there was kick rocks) than after asked me to drive his long car back to the Company I scraped a car parking next to it. Someone from the sister Company came running out there but since this hurt him more especially in regards to insurance rates the guy agreed not to go through with that as long as we replaced his engine in his old car (I paid over $500 for the engine and the guy who let me drive his car was telling me I owe him money months later and told other people I owed him money so he had his friends talk shit but basically it's a long story and a lot of hassle for just a scratch and personally feel the guy who wanted his engine replaced took advantage of the situation.)

My friend let me borrow his Caprice when he went on leave which I didn't have problems except when I was by Sea-Tac I accidentally cut someone off who was in my blind spot who then honked and flipped me off for at-least a quarter mile. I didn't really learn how to drive until I was in Iraq where I drove about 18,000 miles in 7 months (the other 5 months I had a broken hand). Driving around Kuwait City was a challenge because of the traffic and I was driving a Freightliner M915A2 w/ a trailer but in Iraq we mostly drove at night except when driving south on MSR Tampa south of CSC Scania so no cars were around because of the curfew but there were a lot of "Jersey Barriers" (I don't know if you ever seen a military checkpoint but we drove through those all the time). I never wrecked even though a couple of times I snapped the trailer brakes (I had to maintain a larger following distance in the convoy and use my engine brake more which I rarely used) and one of those times was in mountainous Northern Iraq to "Key West" (a base east of Mosul).

By the time I got back I was pro driver at 19 going on 20 so what the poster says before you makes a lot of sense especially in terms of my experience.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

133. I once had an insurance guy tell me that

in the states that issue licenses to the youngest drivers, those drivers have higher accident rates at age 20 than do the states that delay the licensing.

It's not only inexperience, but youthful immaturity that is a huge factor. When my kids were getting into the learning to drive and get a license age, I recall another mother being quite incensed because she couldn't get her 13 year old into a drivers' training course. She thought that the younger the kid learned the better. I suggested that it was quite different.

About once a year there'd be some terrible crash involving a teenage driver, and as I paid attention to those awful accidents, I resolved not to let my kids drive at the earliest possible age. Age 17 for a permit, drive for a full year, then get your license. And here's an interesting fact related to that delay: Both sons were eventually in accidents that totalled their cars, but neither one was at fault. Both times another driver (one a teen, the other a woman their mother's age) made a left hand turn in front of them and they couldn't avoid the wreck. My sister, whose kids were the same ages as mine, let them be licensed at the earliest possible age, and each one of them totalled a car or two in the early years. One actually managed to drive into a parked car on their street.

[TeamPooka]

31. All drivers should be re-tested every 5 years.

[TexasBushwhacker]

119. Unfortunately, states don't have the budget for that

I'm 60 and I wouldn't have an issue with being tested. As it is, I have to do the vision test every 6 years. The only thing is, it's not unusual for older people to develop night vision problems and they don't test for that. My stepmom is 80 and she voluntarily takes a driving test every couple of years.

[janterry]

34. My grandfather drove until he was nearly 95

a few months before he died, he stopped. This was despite the fact he was receiving services for the legally blind. He just renewed his license by mail.

Of course, this was Florida...........so, well,
you know.

He didn't hit anyone (drove slowly to the market and back) - but clearly he was not competent and should not have been on the road

[True Dough]

40. This is the sort of situation that I had in mind

Glad your grandpa didn't hurt himself or anyone else.

[janterry]

52. I'm in my 50's

and my hope is that my next car won't need me so much (driverless)-- which will obviate the need for retesting

[Mariana]

60. My grandfather quit driving when he was 89

after he drove his car through the garage and into the back yard. He didn't want to stop driving, but the car was a total loss and no one would take him to buy another one.

[MuseRider]

79. Funny in Florida.

See my post 69 above. I would worry if I had to drive there. YIKES!

[Tien1985]

35. All drivers should be tested every few years.

I don't know why we don't all have to re-up our testing every few years. We are cruising around in metal boxes weighing in the tons--we should probably be making sure that all drivers are up to date and capable.

[Binkie The Clown]

37. Yes. My 95 year old mother has a drivers license, but she should never be allowed to drive.

We (her kids and grandkids) don't let her near the car. We drive her wherever she needs to go, yet she thinks she's still capable of driving, but she's definitely not.

I'm 72, and I would not object to being retested. In point of fact, I walk, bicycle, and take the bus much more often than I drive anymore. If I'm not a safe driver then I'd like to know about it before I injure myself or others. I've seen how easy it is to deny one's own impairments.

[True Dough]

44. Bicycle, Binkie?

Shouldn't you be on a unicycle?

[Binkie The Clown]

48. Heck, I'm thinking of graduating to a three-wheeler! :) n/t

[marylandblue]

41. I would support it

My mother's driving skills gradually deteriorated until she got into an accident. Now she has agreed to stop driving. We got lucky she wasn't seriously injured and didn't fight us when we took her keys away.

[Vinca]

42. I'd be in big trouble. Haven't parallel parked since my driving exam 52 years ago.

[True Dough]

46. New model vehicles do it for you

but I'm sure they don't allow that during a road test, of course.

[Kaleva]

64. The last time I parallel parked was when I was 16 during my driving test back in '75.

[crazycatlady]

71. I last parallel parked in 1998

My mom 1968.

I just avoid situations where I would have to do it (that includes paying for parking to avoid it) and I avoid driving in large cities.

[MuseRider]

81. I had a Smart Car for a while.

That was easy but other than the few years I had that car it has been since 1971 since I parallel parked as well.

[yellowcanine]

49. Judgement (lack of) is the main problem on the roads, not older drivers.

In fact, older drivers generally have better judgment, they obey speed limits more and they slow down when conditions are bad. They generally pay more attention and are not distracted as much (texting, eating, etc). Insurance statistics tell the true story - older drivers have way less serious accidents.

[Raster]

86. One positive thing about older drivers...

... they typically DO NOT TEXT WHILE THEY DRIVE.

[marlakay]

51. Yes but say start at 76-78

My mom is almost 90 and they just gave her another 4 yrs here in CA. She is one of those drives too slow on freeway older people.

I don't think she should drive anymore but she thinks she is just fine, even with lots of fender benders of hitting things parking, luckily not cars yet.

She lives on her own and we had a huge fight about that a year ago so i am not about to tell her what to do.

Older people are too stubborn to quit on their own so yes a driving test would be a good solution.

I am 61 and pretty stubborn myself so imagining how I will be, lol.

[JoeStuckInOH]

54. Every 8-10 years, everyone should be retested.

The demographic being targeted here is, of course older drivers with deteriorated driving skills. But if you apply standard testing across the spectrum no particular group can complain.

[LeftInTX]

55. As long as parrallel parking is not involved!

I've been driving for 45 years and I have never successfully parallel parked.

I failed the parallel parking on my first driver's test.
I passed the second test because it did not require parallel parking.

[hamsterjill]

56. I'm not in favor of it.

I understand the concept, but people age differently and someone who is 60 can be worse than someone who is 75.

On another note, can someone please explain to me why all of the millennials in my area drive so freaking slow? I thought young people were supposed to like driving fast!

[Skittles]

114. are they on the phone?

[MineralMan]

58. Generally, I think that should depend on driving records.

No accidents? No tickets? No test needed. Age is not the only measure of driving ability or safety. I'm 72 years old. I've never had a traffic accident nor have I ever received a ticket for any moving violation. I'm a very attentive driver, and don't plan to ever change that.

Simply basing a testing requirement on age alone is not the way to go. However, if an older driver begins having accidents or getting moving violations, then sure, require a test for that individual driver, regardless of age. In fact, why not require retesting for all drivers who have frequent accidents or moving violation citations? That would make more sense, really, than just setting some age and requiring driving tests for people older than that age.

[Kaleva]

72. An elderly uncle quit driving after he backed into a state police car.

He had been pulled over for speeding, was given a warning but put the car into reverse instead of drive . No damage to the vehicles but he decided right then to stop driving so the officer called his son for him to come and get him which the son and a friend did. I believe his record was clean.

[MineralMan]

124. And many younger drivers have also had accidents.

Even most, perhaps.

However, I would not require driving tests for people who have had neither accidents nor moving violation tickets, regardless of age. Their record is their history of being good drivers.

Now, I don't care if my state required me to take a driving test. That wouldn't concern me at all. But, I don't think it should be a requirement for all drivers over a certain age. Here in Minnesota, there are only a few locations where one can take such a test. That makes it a PITA.

[Jim Beard]

157. Yes, there are several variables. Another is where they are going to drive.

I live in a small town of 5,000 and naturally there is a lot of old people. If they stay off the main highway, they will not have any trouble. They can drive to the grocery store, senior citizen center and even the local doctor.

[Bradical79]

59. Depends on the facts

If it's a real problem backed up by solid evidence, then sure, I'd be for it.

Edit: Though maybe tech in the not so distant future could make it a non-issue.

[Kaleva]

61. Riding with my grandfather was exciting.

Stop signs meant nothing to him on some occasions and when he drifted across the centerline, I had to remind him to stay on the right side of the road. Here in town there was an elderly lady who couldn't parallel park so she'd drive up onto the sidewalk where there was more parking space.

[True Dough]

73. I must admit

I chuckled when reading about that, but the thought of being in the vehicle (or on the sidewalk) at the time wouldn't be so amusing.

[Kaleva]

77. I was young and we lived in a rural area without much traffic.

He probably shouldn't have been driving but he was the type who wasn't going to let others tell him what he could or couldn't do. It would worry my mother greatly when he took me or any of my brothers to the local store with him.

[LanternWaste]

62. Nope... but one year re-testing for 16-19 years of age (causes more accidents)

One year re-testing 16-19 year old license holders, as the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16-19-year-olds than among any other age group as per CDC (12.2% of car accidents are the responsibility of teen drivers while 7.5% of accidents are caused by drivers over 65.).

(I could say "damn kids," and wring my hands about "political correctness" also... but since I don't hang myself from crosses and pretend oppression, I won't).

[Kaleva]

67. Teens can pass the test. That won't reduce accidents.

[MuseRider]

65. Why not?

I am going to be 64 in a couple of months. I am doing fine, had one ticket in my life of driving and one bad accident as my truck spun out on an overpass covered with black ice, no one else was around luckily.

My driving skills are good, I am cautious but I know, as we all should know, that our reflex responses do diminish as does our visual acuity and the mental ability to think rapidly.

Do people really still have ego issues with this?

I would take tests every year and actually I think that is not a bad idea. Now with Uber etc. and cars that help with stopping and parking and whatever else they have now I think adding those tests would be a great idea. If you fail, well why would you want to drive if you can't pass the test? Economically is the only reason I can think of. I live in the boonies, it is going to cost me when that happens but it is what it is. We plan for that.

There are refresher courses available. Maybe that would be a good way to go. My husband had a seizure disorder come about 5 years ago. 6 months of no driving after a seizure. It took almost 4 years to get to that point so he took a refresher course and drives better now that he ever did.

Personally, as a person who must use a highway and an Interstate to get anywhere from where I live I would like to see extra lanes for trucks only. They are so big now and it is windy on Kansas roads and it seems there are more big trucks than cars at any time that I can see. People do not drive well around them and some truckers, so far the vast minority of them, are scary drivers themselves.

Anyway, be safe out there. Get tested and don't get upset when you get old and must find another way, it happens to most of us eventually.

[Doreen]

68. I saw something a few weeks ago that scared the crap out of me.

I was coming out of a beauty shop and there was an elderly lady who was moving extremely slow with a walker needing help from one of the beauticians. She needed help to get her walker put into the car and then needed help to actually get into her big long Cadillac. She needed help closing the door because it was to heavy for her to pull shut. I think the only reason she was able to open the door without help was because she had an automatic lock. I saw her getting ready to drive in such a slow manner that I knew it was because she could not see that well and could not move well. I got out of there before she even started her car. I noticed the beautician left quickly also.

Yes, I do think we should all have to take the driving tests every few years ( I say about every 5. ) I am not putting elderly people down because I would have to take it also. I actually think from the time we get a license we should all have to do that. Where I live we did not have roundabouts until a few years ago. We were not taught how to use them and it got confusing how they work. It does not work well when they are supposed to rely on courtesy because it seems like that is not used these days. I live in a small town in Washington and also Washington has not had them for that long.

When new rules come into place they need to be learned and if we need to take courses again we will then know the new rules. When I learned to drive the people on the freeway were the ones who were supposed give the people getting on the right away. well, that changed and now the ones getting on are supposed to yield. That is at least the rules in Washington state. It really sucks when you have people on the freeway who have all the room in the world to move to the next lane but not only do they not move but they fucking pace you. When you have a car that has no guts you can not speed up enough to get in front of them. I have been forced to come almost to a stop.

I have to admit I hate people when they are in their cars.

[marybourg]

75. Yes, I saw a woman ask a by-stander for help getting down

from the curb, saying she couldn't see it, then, after getting the help toddled over to the driver's side of a car and got in. The man who had helped her turned to me and said "Well now I've seen everything!"

[Doreen]

103. Very chilling.

[still_one]

83. I think regardless of age, every, let's say 10 years, all drivers should have a retesting of driving

skills

If you want to look at other demographics, teenagers are the highest risk group, and men are more likely to get into an accident than women

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

84. I'm not sure it's possible to specify an age.

When my dad got to be 90 he voluntarily quit driving, though he hated having do it, because he'd had a couple of fender-benders and realized he wasn't safe any more. Shortly before that I rode with him and he scared the bejeebers out of me because he seemed to have trouble staying in his lane. After that I decided I had to talk to him about driving, even though he at least had limited himself to driving during the day and only to run nearby errands. Fortunately he made the decision on his own before I had to intervene. He really wasn't safe, and probably hadn't been for a few years.

[still_one]

88. I agree Ocelot, age isn't a good criteria. Just test everyone every10 years, or whatever intervel

seems appropriate.

That is the most objective and non-discriminatory way to do it

[Laffy Kat]

91. Yes. I had to write the Division of Motor Vehicles and tell them my FIL..

Was suffering from dementia and seizures before they revoked his DL. Unfortunately not before he was in several accidents. No one else in the family wanted to be the one responsible for taking away his freedom. I'm just glad he didn't kill anyone. And, BTW, he still had a safe full of guns and a concealed carry permit. His ex-wife had the foresight to change the combination of the gun safe before she left him, so he couldn't get his hands on a weapon. She was afraid of him.

[LisaM]

92. I don't think they are giving road tests to anyone anymore.

It's kind of frightening. The worst offenses I see are excessive (unnecessary) lane changing, no turn signal, tailgating, and an absolute disregard of pedestrians (not stopping behind the white line, for example). Yes, older drivers probably should be tested from time to time - I agree with that. But younger drivers are getting on the road never having been road tested AT ALL.

[LAS14]

96. So why should older drivers be tested????? Let's treat all ages the same re testing based on....

... percent of accidents.

[LisaM]

123. Basically, I'd think for reflex time and eyesight. n/t

[COLGATE4]

93. I'm 74 and routinely drive more than 24,000 miles a year.

Have never had an accident and had two tickets in my life: one, when I was 16 and got my first license and the second 5 years ago in a rural area outside a small town in Virginia at 4:45 A.M. on a Sunday (getting an early start on a long drive) for going 60 where the authorities had lowered the posted speed from 65 to 55. Guess who was waiting there on that lonely, lonely stretch of road all bright eyed and bushy-tailed?

[True Dough]

101. You're an example of why

it's not a cut-and-dried issue, Colgate4. It's true, there are many competent drivers over age 70 but it's been medically/scientifically demonstrated that skills and reflexes decline as we age. That said, the rates vary from one individual to the next. I tend to lean toward compulsory tests around age 75. If you pass with flying colors, great! Off you go! If you fail, then it's time to sharpen your skills and retry or to confront the possibility that you're not fit for the road anymore.

Others have made the point here that all drivers should be tested regularly, or it should be based on driving history -- too many accidents or tickets and you're forced to prove your mettle again. Perhaps that sort of idea should be incorporated as well.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

97. I think distracted (electronics) by millennials is a far greater menace, statistics do not support

your proposal that seems to be more motivated by ageism than reality! Older drivers have accidents too but they are not disproportionate or insurance companies would reflect it in increased premiums. There are dangerous drivers in every age cohort that are singled out and monitored by state DMV's and insurance companies. Why pick on older drivers unless you can prove a strong correlation between age and negligent driving not just anecdotal distortions!

[JonLP24]

142. 16-19 group gets in the most accidents

65 & over are the second most likely to die in a car crash. Those are the two groups at highest risk with 16-19 group as the highest.

As far as electronics my 60 year old mom is on her computer phone all the time when not watching TV. I have computer phones but I never use them personally I hate them. Using a laptop right now -- if you mean talking on phones I noticed everyone does this especially those that use vehicles for work.

[lindysalsagal]

98. Yes, and would you start with my parents?

Pleeeeeeeeease???

[nini]

99. I worry more about younger - hell anyone - texting and phone use while driving

That being said.. Doctors need to report older folks who are reaching the point they need to be tested. They do this for epileptics etc. Older folks should be tracked closely as they slow down. That age is different for individuals.

[Justice]

105. I am in favor of every driver having to be retested periodically to continue with license.

[XRubicon]

107. About 20 years ago I was walking in the local grocery store parking lot with my

5 year old daughter, I heard an engine racing then tires squealing. I turned my head and saw a car trying to break through a 4 ft tall concrete poll, tires spinning and engine full throttle.

If that concrete poll was not there we could easily have been run over as we were directly in front of the car. After a few minutes an old man got out of the car, he was clearly confused about where he was and what had just happened.

I think older people should show they can still drive. I know most can - but not all of them.

[doc03]

108. It's not older motorists I see texting and talking on the

phone while driving.

[The Blue Flower]

109. How many seniors use their phones while they drive?

Yes, we should make sure that their abilities haven't deteriorated, but on balance, there are also many younger folks who have bad driving habits that are more dangerous than driving while elderly.

[Not Ruth]

110. Driver suppression thread?

[True Dough]

112. I and would refer to your post

as a "drive-by shooting."

There's no "suppression" going on here. An honest encouragement in the OP for others to express their views on mandatory testing for older drivers. And if such legislation does exist, those elderly drivers can keep on climbing behind the wheel of they prove competent.

There are plenty of pros and cons and other valid points raised. This is a discussion forum, after all.

[hunter]

111. My wife and I knew an elderly women who was still driving well enough...

... probably better than any teenager, but she'd started having trouble remembering where she was, where she was going, or why.

Her daughter took away her car and got her licence suspended but it wasn't easy.

My crazy grandma had similar problems. She had to be removed from the house she owned as a danger to herself and others. My mom managed to take away her car and her guns, but police and paramedics were required to remove her from the house she owned. Strapped to a gurney and stuffed into an ambulance she was still trying to bite paramedics and cussing up a storm.

The scariest thing was that my mom found another gun when she was clearing out my grandma's house. My grandma was a hoarder. She'd keep the Styrofoam boxes MacDonald's Big Macs came in. She'd pay a neighbor kid to bring her McDonald's food. Some of the boxes were empty, some had half eaten mummified burgers and fries in them, some held cash including a few Franklins. Every box had to be opened, hundreds or them.

My grandma also kept light bulbs. She'd mark on the package the date she bought them, and when they burnt out, she'd put them back in the package and mark the date they burnt out.

[roody]

116. Yes! It is a miracle that my

90+ year old father did not kill anyone when he still drove.

[pangaia]

118. Not necessarily.

Unless they are driving 50 MPG in the left lane in front of me on I-90.

However, young through middle age drivers need to be taught the same thing.
ALSO-
--The turn signal is to SIGNAL that you will be turning; NOT that you just turned.
--Do not switch from one lane to another on an Interstate between 2 cars that are like 50 feet apart just because you can fit.
--When turning left off a 2 lane road, do NOT swing out to the right first like a pitcher winding up. I'm about to pass you and you don't want to get wacked.
--Do not sit parked at the post office with your car in reverse and your foot on the brake unless you actually plan to BACK UP.
-- When turning left at a traffic light and having to wait until oncoming traffic is clear, pull up about 1/3 of the way, so I can make it also.
--DO NOT RUN RED LIGHTS ! I saw a mother and young daughter killed when some 20 something shit for brains ran a red light and smashed into the side of their van, rolling it over a couple times..He was MOVING !!! I saw the whole thing coming and couldn't do as damn thing about it.

[True Dough]

120. You touched on one of my major pet peeves

Drivers who squeeze into the space you leave between you and the vehicle ahead of you, particularly at highway speeds. Talk about reckless! They look at that gap like an invitation but what it really represents is life and death -- a safe distance to be able to stop in a hurry in case of an emergency.

Sorry to hear about the fatal intersection accident that you witnessed. That must have been just awful.

[pangaia]

121. I'm 73 and NOT a slow driver, I will admit.

But my reflexes are still pretty quick, although obviously not what they were. Had cataract surgery several years ago with good implants..and I account for all that, especially at night., when I DO where distance glasses...I do know my limitations.

I think that 'old' drivers-- Like me HA HA- are much less a danger than all the rest. Most of the ones I encounter, and there are quite a few in and around where I live, just drive a little slower and are careful.

I also just bought a BRIGHT RED Honda HRV so people can see me coming and, hopefully, get out of the way ! Beep Beep !



Also so I can find it at the grocery store.

[pangaia]

163. Not a bad idea.

Maybe it will also take care of drivers like the 20-something who raced through a red light, broadsided a mother and her young daughter and killed them both.

[CanSocDem]

125. I would still be driving a big truck...

...today, at the age of 70, if there wasn't a medical examination required. I feel fine, can still do everything I could 20 years ago but....I don't need someone looking for problems.

So I pass on the big truck driving job and be content driving 180+ highway miles/month to buy cannabis that I'm no longer being tested for. Not a bad trade-off.

My family pressured me to ask my father to give up his license at the age of 85. As always he was still a good driver but they feared for his life and they knew he would only listen to me. I hated doing it but he was always a rational man. A year or so later we rented a motor home to go to a family re-union. Like a little kid he wanted to drive it for a few miles so I let him.

Virtual driving hadn't yet hit the market.


.

[Sancho]

126. AARP and AAA have good driving courses for older folks...

and cars are getting much safer with lane warnings and auto breaking. It's true that accidents increase with older drivers, but they still don't usually reach the danger zone of teenagers.

It's really hard to give up independence. If communities offer options to get around, it makes giving up the car keys much easier.

Retesting is an expense with limited usefulness. Training and helpful family/friends are more likely to know when drivers need to quit.

[KG]

127. yes. and I'm screaming toward 60. living FL I've seen some crazy shit.

[leftyladyfrommo]

128. Around KC where I live way more accidents are caused by young drivers.

Sometimes they are just going way too fast. Sometimes they are on their phones.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

135. Yes. Retesting at all ages, maybe every 10 years

until age 50 or 60, then every five years for a while. At some point it should be every year.

I'm 68 (birthday next week) and I'm a decent driver. But I'm very aware that the day will come, should I live long enough, that I won't be fit to drive any more. I do drive a stick shift, always have, and I joke that when I can no longer drive the stick, it will be my sign that it's time to stop driving.

My father-in-law drove up until a week before he died at age 94, and he should not have been driving at least those last five years.

The largest problem is that too many of us live where a car is an absolute necessity: no nearby public transportation, no nearby good friends or relatives who can drive us around, and so on.

My older brother is still driving even though he's legally blind. He lives in Virginia, and I would hope he'd fail his next vision test, but I have no idea when that might be. I recently asked him if he and his wife (who I believe no longer drives because of a physical issue, not vision) were considering relocating from their unnecessarily large suburban home and downsizing somewhere, and he basically said, "Hell no!" Where he lives there is an absolute need for a car, although Uber would probably be a realistic choice.

[JonLP24]

138. Arizona already does this

but unlike most states a license doesn't expire until you're 60 something.

[dembotoz]

144. would be of more comfort if there were public transportation options available

had to junk my car...it died...shopping for a different one.
it sucks

i live in a burb with NO public transportation...dont even have cabs.
stores not that easy a walk away

dependent for other for car shopping and other stuff.

there is the old saying about taking my gun when you pry my cold dead fingers from the handle...feel much the same way about my car

[Wiseman32218]

147. My thought is they

should have a doctor's certification for ability, but I am conflicted that we do not have a public transit system or other means for them to be able to perform needed errands.

I live in Florida so I see a lot of senior drivers but the younger ones appear more interested in their phones than driving. A very complicated issue. I have no answer. <sigh>

[kwassa]

149. Drivers test: WHAT DOES A YELLOW LIGHT MEAN???

[Thor_MN]

153. It would be an easy enough task for technology to handle.

At license renewal time, pick up a device that you have to have in your car for week.

Don't drive for the week, get an ID instead of license.
Run stop signs, don't get a license.
Speed, change lanes every tenth mile, no license.
GPS + cameras = objective driving test.

[democratisphere]

155. I think younger drivers need to be retested every 6 months.

Maniacs at the wheel.

[jberryhill]

156. Yes

[bluecollar2]

159. yes

The fact is reaction times, vision, situational awareness all deteriorate as we age.

We have a moral obligation to ensure that we prevent the elderly from injuring themselves or others.

[SharonClark]

160. Yes, it"s hard for the family to take the keys away. Better for an official to do it.

[RealityChik]

161. Normally I would agree but...

Considering there are currently 27 US.Senators and 71 US Congressmen 70 yrs old or older, I don't think we are ever going to see any laws now or in the future restricting senior driving with mandatory retesting of driving skills!

Look at it this way, with driverless cars on the horizon in the not-too-far-off future, it's comforting to know the solution to this problem may only be a few years away. My children and grand-children won't have to anticipate with dread that day when they would otherwise have to take MY car keys away!

[Hoyt]

162. Some might mistakingly deem me elderly, but I think testing is a good idea.

I also think there ought to be some kind of permit for those who can probably drive safely locally, rather than denying all driving when some deficiency is found. I suspect I will still be able to drive to the store, doctor, hiking trails nearby, etc., when busy 8 lane interstates might be more risky.

Truthfully, I'd feel safer on a road with a bunch of elderly folks than the kids zigzagging through traffic or the Ahole in a jacked up truck with a confederate or NRA tag on the front tailgating you.

[treestar]

164. Are there any statistics that they cause more accidents?

Males 18-25 are generally thought to be the most dangerous.