Senior Citizens; How long before re-testing them?

[Jim]

This question does not directly relate to the expedite business, per say, but, as we all have to share the roads and highways with other drivers, I will ask it, anyway.

At what age should drivers be required to have an annual road test of their ability to drive safely?

What about a system that gadually restricts the circumstances under which an older driver can drive? In Ontario, the Ministry of Transport is talking about a system that would restrict drivers based on their short falls. For instance, no night driving, or having to stay off ccontrolled access highways, such as the 401. What is your feeling about this problem?

I personally hate to drive in Florida, because of all the seniors, from all over, who haven't been re-tested since they first got their permit in 1944!! It is scary.. Comments, please. Jim Bunting..

 

[TRUCKNMAMA]

I don't really know. I would say at 70 maybe every 2 yrs. Some 75 year olds have more then some 60 year olds. Not everybody is the same, but I know what you mean about Florida.

 

[Trucker Matt]

Gosh, testing seniors is a touchy issue, but one that needs to be dealt with. We've got a 60 year old family member that has been a major road hazard for the last 15 years or so(she just recently quit driving). On the other hand, we've got a 78 year old friend in Arizona - his only car is a '32 Ford Model A Sedan-delivery. It's chopped, lowered and running a Chevy 350 V8 with straight pipes. If you were to infer that he is senile and needs to be tested, he'd probably knock you on your can.

There are extremly wide variances in the cognitive abilites of seniors and it would be diffcult to implement a fair system for checking them. Not to mention, the AARP has tremendous political clout and is proably opposed to any sort of testing or restrictions on seniors.

I would bet that seniors with poor skills have driving records that don't really indicate the problems they cause. A lot of grayheads leave confusion and near accidents in their wake as they meander along. As a speed limit/slow lane driver; I get to deal with a lot older drivers who either merge onto a freeway at 30 MPH or come to a complete stop at the end of the on ramp. It can get interesting trying to anticipate what they or the four wheelers around them are going to do.

At some age, periodic testing needs to be implemented, maybe every two years after 65? With progressive restrictions - i.e. daylight hours only or restricted to staying within a certain radius of home - all this based on vision, reflexes and ability to understand complex traffic situations.

As the senior population grows rapidly and as speeds and congestion increase on roadways, it's s serious problem that is going to have to be dealt with sooner or later.

 

[Wild Bill]

Since, here in the US "seasoned citizens" are the largest voting block and have the largest lobby (AARP). They will be driving themselves until the day they "assume room temperature".

Not only that, they will still be allowed to drive a 1971 Winnebago (which hasn't been inspected since Carter was president (or Trudeau was P.M.)while pulling a trailer, a car, and a boat all at the same time and never need anything but an operators license to do it.

 

[Jim]

I am confused on this one. On the one hand ,the replys to my original post all acknowledge that there is a real problem here, but each of you mention how "powerful" the seniors lobby is. If re-testing were mandatory for all drivers, of any age, every five years, then it could not be seen as any form of discrimination, against any particular group.

Here is one sure way to weed out medically unfit drivers. Pass individual state legislation that would require, by law, all medical doctors to report any person that they have as a patient, who has a medical condition that makes it dangerous for that person to drive. I would include in this category any mental confusion, hearing loss not corrected with a hearing aid, and seizures, ot attacks of Transitory Ischemia,(temporary black outs.,In this way, the onus is placed on professionals, who are in a perfect position to make a judgement. The state would then have reasonable grounds to have the person re-tested. This re-test would be a full written, visual, and road test. A partial failure, for example night blindness, would result in a restricted permit, with a prohibition on operation after dark.

A system that allows motor homes to tow sundry types of trailers, or cars, without a competency test, is a bad system. I too have seen these combinations, and shake my head at these accidents in waiting.

I will say this: I am not saying that every person over 65 or 70 is a bad driver, far from it. BUT, we have to face the facts. There are lots of elderly drivers out there who are not competent. They don't see well enough, hear well enough, and above all, are not aware enough of the problems they cause behind them.

Mandatory re-testing of every driver, every few years, would help to reduce the bad manners out there, and weed out the truely incompetent. Jim Bunting..

 

[EH]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Apr-27-00 AT 00:57AM (GMT)[/font][p]Jim and everyone else; I am rapidly approaching the age group you all mentioned. I agree that some drivers are a problem but I don't believe age is at all the deternining factor. I have locked my brakes behind more young folks on the on ramp and to avoid the ones entering into my space even tho I had no place to go. I know we are all impatient and there are those who are a danger to themselves as well as other drivers, but I have to think about why they are driving too. Many if not most have no other way to get to the store, doctor or other necessary place. In this fast paced world of everyone working outside the home, most relatives cannot or will not take off work to drive, Mom or Pop as needed. Our country ,except in some larger cities, has very poor or no public transportation system. Folks live all over the place and services, shopping, doctors and everything else is scattered all over everywhere too. Walking is out of the question.Until someone can solve the problem of how to get there and back, I don't see any solution at all. What's more, I wouldn't trust my doctor nor yours either to make a subjective judgement like that. They only make good calls about who can pay or not. Otherwise, forget it. Drive careful,grannies coming up in your blind spot in her 1970 hemi powered super bird. Ed

 

[Jim]

So, ED, if I read you correctly, you think that because someone lives out on the end of a dirt road, they should be allowed to drive, regardless of their ability to do so? If that is your argument, then we should also allow 6 year olds to drive, as they too have a need to get to the store!!

My point is this. A driver's license is not a right, it is a priviledge. If it was a right, you would have gotten one along with your birth certificate, a few weeks after you were born. If any person cannot pass the minimum standards in their state, then they should not be driving, period, and their age is not relative.

As for the doctors being required to report medically unfit drivers. Who else would you suggest, that can make an informed, educated decision in this matter? Some person in a state motor vehicle office? No, I think the M.D. is the one who has the education, the experience, and the moral position for this situation. I'm sorry that you have such a low opinion of doctors, and I hope you never are in the position where you have to choose between your opinions, and having to trust a doctor's ability to help you. Jim Bunting..