Should Elderly Drivers Have To Retake The Test?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-05-09 03:13pm

I'm watching the Tonight programme now on ITV1 and it's asking whether the over 70s of this nation should be forced to retake their driving tests in order to ascertain how competent they are.

The current system here introduced in the '70s by the DVLA is simply a form of self-certification which you sign every three years or so to say you're capable. But it's being looked at now that maybe an MOT should be done on the drivers as well as their vehicles.

So what is your opinion on this matter? I have a grandfather in his mid-seventies who is easily one of the safest drivers I know, much like my own father. Yet there are examples on TV and I've seen many with my own Mk. I Eyeball that show such OAPs being on the road is a danger to younger drivers and pedestrians alike.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2005-05-09 03:16pm

You have to be well over 80 in order to be a less safe driver, statistically, than a teenager. That being said, the teen must learn how to drive somehow whereas the elderly person is deteriorating because of age. I would tend to support requiring people to retake drivers tests every decade or so, since there's not THAT much time or money involved.

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2005-05-09 03:23pm

Icelandic law requires seniors to retake the test on a yearly basis. I think the age where this begins is 80, but don't quote me on that.

Such a system seems perfectly reasonable to me.

The Third Man · Post by **The Third Man** » 2005-05-09 03:26pm

There's already an infrastructure for testing and licencing, so why not. That said, there'd be other categories besides the 70+ that should be considered for re-testing. Those convicted of certain dangerous driving offences maybe, and perhaps those with a bad accident record.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2005-05-09 03:28pm

YES! YES! OH GOD, YES!

Yes, I hate old people driving. Their reaction time is awful, they seem to think that it's OK to drive 30 MPH in a 55 MPH zone during fair weather, and they can't park worth shit. Not all old people drive like this, but in my experience the vast majority do.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-05-09 03:35pm

I believe such a system should be in place with routine tests every few years or so, though maybe not as rigorous as normal tests if time is a factor. It's not just the over 70s, there can be drivers that have not taken the helm in years and suddenly jump into the driving seat or maybe those who were in offences etc.

I see no reason why younger drivers should pay extortionate insurance premiums and elderly drivers get off scot free when they are also a major risk.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-05-09 03:35pm

Yes, but not the full written test, just a quick live-driving exam to demonstrate sufficient physical skills to still drive safely.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2005-05-09 03:36pm

Everybody should take a test every (insert reasonable amount of years).

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-05-09 03:38pm

Chmee wrote:Yes, but not the full written test, just a quick live-driving exam to demonstrate sufficient physical skills to still drive safely.

Quite. The theory tests are usually simple enough, so long as you recall the basic road signs and etiquette.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-05-09 03:38pm

Seniors have the better 'guild,' as it were. They've got financially-successful representation at all levels, and teens don't, ergo despite being as dangerous in many respects (and a fuckton more frustrating. MOVE YOUR ASS OR GET OFF MY ROAD! Pick a parking space!), they pay a pittance on insurance. Retests ahoy.

Mrs Kendall · Post by **Mrs Kendall** » 2005-05-09 03:53pm

Yes, Cpl Kendal and myself have run across a few old folks who don't know the rules of the road, jumping ahead of us at stop signs etc... one old man just the other day was walking across the street and my husband stopped a little farthur back from the line than is normal for his driving just because he was driving slowly as he was stopping... not a big deal right, well this old man... I swear he was some kind of pissed off freak... he points to the stop line on the road and gives us a dirty look... What an idiot... Anyway my point is they tend to think they are right cause they are older and this is what causes accidents.

I'm embarassed to say it but my 60 year old father who drives school busses for a job to keep him busy drives super slowly sometimes. I tend to say "uh dad, the speed limit is easily 20 km's higher than what you're doing" and then he sais oh yeah, and speeds up, this tends to happen when he's having a conversation with his passengers. At least he doesn't speed though. He drives his bus normally too. Weird eh?

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-05-09 03:58pm

I'm not sure whether it's they always think they're right, or that after a certain age many people just stop giving a damn what anybody else thinks and say aloud the things most of us have the courtesy to think but not say ....

Should make for a lot of interesting gunplay as the number of elderly people skyrockets in this country.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-05-09 04:01pm

Driving too slowly can be just as hazardous at times; if it doesn't cause problems when you're doing 80 kph in the fast lane of a motorway or dual carriageway, then it's inciting road range that can lead to problems.

Miles Teg · Post by **Miles Teg** » 2005-05-09 04:09pm

Mrs Kendall wrote: I'm embarassed to say it but my 60 year old father who drives school busses for a job to keep him busy drives super slowly sometimes. I tend to say "uh dad, the speed limit is easily 20 km's higher than what you're doing" and then he sais oh yeah, and speeds up, this tends to happen when he's having a conversation with his passengers. At least he doesn't speed though. He drives his bus normally too. Weird eh?

This could simply be that is is very, very used to driving busses. Large vehicles feel slower than smaller, lower to the ground vehicles. I know when I switch from a big pickup (or something similar) to a small car, I regularly do about 10-20mph lower than the limit, simply because I gauge my speed more on the feeling than anything else. After a short period of adjustment, I get back "on track", but an older person may take more time to readjust. Just my $0.02

To be back OT, I see absolutley no problem with requiring people to get regularly re-certified to drive. Air and Boat pilots/captains have to, so why shouldn't drivers?

Miles Teg

Mrs Kendall · Post by **Mrs Kendall** » 2005-05-09 04:12pm

Oh no my father always does the limit on highways, it's only on streets in our small town that he drives slowly on. I think he's gotten used to the laid back attitude here. If he drives in the city he keeps up with traffic no problem. But yeah I agree with you that it can be just as dangerous

Mrs Kendall · Post by **Mrs Kendall** » 2005-05-09 04:22pm

Miles Teg wrote:
This could simply be that is is very, very used to driving busses. Large vehicles feel slower than smaller, lower to the ground vehicles. I know when I switch from a big pickup (or something similar) to a small car, I regularly do about 10-20mph lower than the limit, simply because I gauge my speed more on the feeling than anything else. After a short period of adjustment, I get back "on track", but an older person may take more time to readjust. Just my $0.02

Miles Teg

True that could very well be it, he drives a school bus every day and has been every day (5 days a week anyway) for like 15 years now. That's probably it. I was probably worried cause there were many jokes lastnight (he just turned 60) about his age and stuff...

Something he did lastnight made me laugh though, he was driving me and the kids home from his b-day celebration and (I just moved on the 2nd of May) he drove halfway to my old house while he was talking until he realised he was going to the wrong house. I said "no go ahead I wanted to make sure there's no mail there for me anyway", but it was pretty funny.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2005-05-09 04:24pm

I live in Arizona... every October the number of senior citizens on our roadways increases by several orders of magnitude... Mostly from Canada Minnesota and the like. They are the worst drivers imaginable. Poor reaction times speeds that single handedly cause traffic jams, and they will turn on their blinkers about a hundred meters to early... Oh and they make illegal left turns, slow right turns, dont check crosswalks, and stop for no fucking reason.

"Well, I still have a little bit of peripheral vision, so I am OK to drive"

YEEEAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2005-05-09 04:31pm

Locally they randomly bring people in for tests starting at 70 - and I think they become mandatory at 80 every few years. Doctors are required to report to the Ministry if a patient is considered "unsafe" to drive - and these people are required to go through a retest.

They also have certain mandatory retest requirements where you've had a stroke or certain other conditions involving the brain. In these cases, the license is suspended until the retest is passed.

Personally, I think you should be retested every 5 years as a matter of course. Given how many traffic laws most people violate on a daily basis, I'd predict a high failure rate.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2005-05-09 05:36pm

Yes, but it won't happen, at least not while AARP is still around.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-05-09 05:42pm

salm wrote:Everybody should take a test every (insert reasonable amount of years).

YES! and defensive driving school should be mandatory for new drivers.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2005-05-09 06:30pm

If I had my way so many people would fail their driving tests and lose their licenses that it wouldn't be funny. Everyone, and I mean everyone would have to take retests every 5-10 years, seniors would have to do it every 5 years or less. Every time someone gets busted for a traffic violation, he's going for a retest. People here don't take driving seriously at all, and that leads to shitloads of roadrage, inconsiderate & unsafe driving, and lots of stupid accidents. That's gotta change, and short of draconian laws I don't see a way to do it.

SCRawl · Post by **SCRawl** » 2005-05-09 06:59pm

Here in Ontario, Canada, the Ministry of Transportation has this to say about keeping older driver licensed:

[quote=MTO]The Senior Driver Renewal Program requires that senior drivers, aged 80 years and over, pay the applicable licensing fee, complete a vision test and a knowledge test and take part in a group education session every two years. A small number of drivers may also be asked to take a road test to have their in-car skills assessed.[/quote]

In my personal experience, I've very nearly killed three different elderly drivers through no fault of my own. Some, like my great aunt, are safer than most. Needless to say, it's a touchy issue to the elderly, since for many of them their license is tied to their independence.

SCRawl · Post by **SCRawl** » 2005-05-09 07:01pm

(Damn lack of an edit button)

This is what I meant for it to say. My fault for not previewing.

MTO wrote:The Senior Driver Renewal Program requires that senior drivers, aged 80 years and over, pay the applicable licensing fee, complete a vision test and a knowledge test and take part in a group education session every two years. A small number of drivers may also be asked to take a road test to have their in-car skills assessed.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-05-09 08:28pm

After having to go through a physical and a flight review every two years for my pilot's license, my thought has largely been "Why don't we do this for car drivers?"

Personally, I think it has a lot to do with American over-dependence on automobiles - people would be scared shitless they'd lose their license and either be stranded or would have to break the law.

Nor would I limit it solely to old drivers - everyone should get regular re-testing - every five years, perhaps, and whenever you move to a new state and change your license. (In the US driving laws do vary slightly from state to state)

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-05-09 08:44pm

Master of Ossus wrote:You have to be well over 80 in order to be a less safe driver, statistically, than a teenager. That being said, the teen must learn how to drive somehow whereas the elderly person is deteriorating because of age. I would tend to support requiring people to retake drivers tests every decade or so, since there's not THAT much time or money involved.

Teenagers (here, at least) are placed under severe restrictions when driving because of the statistics you mention. Elderly drivers should be placed under similar restrictions; their desire for freedom should not outweigh public safety.