Should old people be allowed to drive?

[Cheesecake]

Wondering about everyone's opinions.

They're looking at changing the law here.
Currently everyone over 70 needs to submit an extra form when they renew their driving licence. The form is basically a doctor's note, stating that their vision and response and stuff is still okay. Since half the doctors don't even do an exam, but give their patients the note, it's kinda useless so they want to change it.

Either they'll quit all testing (as all kinds of groups claim it's discriminatory) or they'll replace it with a simple driving test to see if they're still okay.

I'm personally 10,000,000 percent pro test. I've seen too many old people put me (or others) in danger because they just don't respond corectly/in time/don't see me.
Looking at my own grandma (79 at that time), no one ever realized that her periferal vision had gotten so bad that she couldn't see anything unless it was straight in front of her car. (I found that one out when she almost ran over a kid in a parking lot and only stopped when I screamed. Whenever she went places with others, she was always the passenger, so before me no one had been in the car with her for at least 5 years. She did drive daily though.)

I do realize that older people, if not allowed to drive anymore, could end up really sad, depressed and isolated. Despite the sadness of that, I personally think that's gotta be better than them killing people.

Please share your opinion. I'm curious!

[anna7602]

I think the way to do away with the discriminatory part is just to require periodic testing to renew your license, period. I got my driver's license almost 20 years ago. I now have barely driven in about ten years and am certain my reaction time/etc. is not nearly as good as that of someone who drives every day. I would not object in the least to some kind of simple vision or reflex-type of test next time I went in to renew my license.

[mrsukyankee]

I'm a huge fan of driving tests for people above 70. And it should happen ever 5 years at the least. At least it might force a few dangerous drivers off the road. But if they do take people off the road, then they ought to provide other options for them to get around.

[travelingturtle]

I'm pro test. I'm not sure what the rules are here in Germany, but I don't think people ever need to get their license renewed (we don't have a license here, so this is based on what others have told me). I don't see why people can't do a simple eye test when they go in to renew their license. That said, my H is in the process of getting a license and that requires him to get an eye exam, but the eye exam has to be at a doctor's office. If we actually do have to renew here with any frequency and do an eye exam at a doctor's office that would be annoying.

[crimsonandclover]

grr. I just accidentally deleted my post. I'm for testing with random tests for everyone every 5 years and mandatory tests for everyone over 65 every 5 years. And turtle, you're right about German drivers' licenses. They are good into eternity and beyond, which is also why they aren't a valid form of ID. Your picture is from when you're 18 or whenever you got your license, so it would be a joke to use that as an ID when you're 40+.

[irish]

My grandmother recently had to fight with her doctor about her licence! She's 86 and drives to mass and to play bridge and the shops. She is not great on her feet so having no licence would really be isolating for her, even though she lives in an apartment attached to my parents' house.

In the end, she went to the optician and got another eye test and now wears glasses. She went back to the doctor to do the eye test there and then gave out to the doctor for the poor quality of the test board!! So the doctor went and got another one from another office and the my grandmother passed the test!! The doctor even apologised to her because she didn't realise that the test was so bad until she saw it in comparison with the one she got!

Anyway, my grandmother has now got another year on her licence and is getting used to the idea that she won't have it renewed again next year... She was quite upset about the thought of losing it as she would have lost a lot of her independence, but we all mentioned that safety is the most important thing...

[Deleted]

I would require a test every two years for people over 70. Sounds strict but better safe than sorry.
My dad had to confiscate my grandmother's car keys when she was in her late 70s, she was in no condition to drive a potentially deadly weapon around.
I would also not allow anyone over 80 to drive. I've seen some pretty horrible accidents on the news in Italy involving people in their 80s taking wrong lanes and causing the death of entire families.

[crimsonandclover]

I think saying no one over 80 can drive is pretty sweeping. There are some who are capable. I think more frequent testing would help to weed out those who are no longer fit so they don't accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake and drive through the glass front of the local post office (happened to my grandpa at age 85 or so... no one was hurt).

[Deleted]

Yes, I can see how it might sounds extreme but I honestly think that finding an alternative to driving at 80 is not as big an inconvenience as dying because someone's grandpa took the wrong lane. Sorry to be so point-black, I can't help it.

[bugabean]

Isn't that true for any age then? We'd all be safer if no one drove. Why is frequent testing not enough after age 80?

[oneslybookworm]

I agree with Bean, I think it's a valid concern at any age, not just in the older age groups. With newer technology, we now have people driving while on cell-phones (even though it's illegal), listening to music, talking to their kids in the back seat, talking to passengers. Basically, driving is riddled with ways to occupy your mind with things OTHER than driving. I personally have no problem with testing everyone every few years to renew their license.

[Wanderista]

The DC metro area is basically bad driver land. The problem with increased generalized testing is that I really don't think it would make much of a difference in places like this. Most bad drivers here are the kind who would pass the test and then start doing illegal/aggressive/dangerous stuff as soon as they get out of the sight of the DMV. People here know how to drive, they just choose to be assholes and I don't know how you treat that.

As for old people behind the wheel? I am all for increased testing of them including some sort of observation. One day I was sitting in my parked car in a parking lot while putting on make up in my mirror before going somewhere. An elderly woman drove up, parked crookedly, and opened her car door so that she bashed clumsily into mine and caused a dent. I saw it happen and wrote down her info. Her insurance company's response, "She's an 80 yr old grandmother, shame on you for being upset." Yeah, people like that need to be taken off the road.

[Wanderista]

I should add that most of that parking lot was empty!

[Deleted]

May 22, 2012 10:53:01 GMT -5 bugabean said:

Isn't that true for any age then? We'd all be safer if no one drove. Why is frequent testing not enough after age 80?

Hmm, not really... if laws need to be changed to address the issue of driving in one's old age it's clear that everyone among the law-making crowd and the medical world agree that old age gradually and substantially impairs one's driving ability. Otherwise we'd all have to test every five years.
Now, I'm no doctor and I don't know that specific person I mentioned but I'm rather inclined to think that it was exactly old age that made him make a fatal (as far as the dead were concerned) mistake.
My point is merely that since measures are already being taken to lower any risks why not go all the way in the genuine attempt to save lives... I'd rather invest in services like the ones that provide transportation to the elderly, instead. Besides, who doesn't like to be driven around I'm joking but you get the idea

[blushing]

I think as long as there is regular testing in place for people 70+ and they can pass the test (i.e. eye test, reflexes, parking!) then I won't object.

[crimsonandclover]

Ok, here's a little black humor for today. I keep thinking of it as I'm reading this post.

"I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming like the passengers in his car."

[Cheesecake]

Glad I'm not the only one who feels testing would be a good idea. I really don't get why they're also debating just canceling that law altogether.
And I agree that young(er) people can drive like assholes/maniacs as well, but I do feel that the chance that you can't see/respond/park well anymore is a lot higher when you're old than when you're young.

Besides my grandma story from the initial post, I have so many examples of old people who shouldn't be allowed to drive for their own - ant other people's safety.
My grandpa (when he was still alive) got into 4 very serious accidents the year before he died. He kept blaming other drivers for all accidents, but police reports and witnesses always put the blame with him. He totaled the car 3 out of those 4 times, but just bought a new one every time.
My great aunt was approved for driving for 5 years again by her physician, because her sight (with glasses) and legs were still okay. The doctor didn't even look at/realize/included the fact that she could hardly remember the way from her living room to her dining room, had become extremely clumsy, and had no attention span anymore and regularly forgot where she was/zoned out. We were all really really happy when her car got stolen and then totaled by two teens as she couldn't afford to get a new car.

So I do think the testing needs to be more extensive, and preferably a driving test, just to see if they really still do get it. Even a simulator would be fine with me.

[lolo]

May 22, 2012 13:00:54 GMT -5 crimsonandclover said:

Ok, here's a little black humor for today. I keep thinking of it as I'm reading this post.

"I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming like the passengers in his car."

Ha! Black humor is much appreciated.

And I'm pro-test and anti arbitrary age limit.

[clogged]

I am for yearly testing for anyone over 70. Yup, yearly. Also for "new law" test for everyone every 5 years as mandatory.

Oh, and people who change lanes in turbo roundabouts should be flogged.