Driving tests for the elderly

[Jim]

Interesting debate on Radio 2 this afternoon

Should there be legislation that restricts the elderly from driving after a particular birthday?

Should there be compulsory Medical/driving/perception and reaction tests for all those wanting to drive after a particular birthday, (which one?)

Or should it stay the same, largely based upon self assessment?

 

[scotjimland]

Who causes the most accidents, over 70s or under 25s ?

When did you last see a 70 year old racing or joy riding.

Who is responsible for the high cost of insurance.. ?

It should stay the same, but introduce stiffer penalties for those who are found guilty of dangerous driving..

Give the oldies a break..

 

[Geo]

They should leave well alone except for RV drivers aproching 50, with army HGV driving credentials, they should be banned totaly in anything over 750 Kgs
Geo

 

[Munchie]

Who causes the most accidents, over 70s or under 25s ?

When did you last see a 70 year old racing or joy riding.

Who is responsible for the high cost of insurance.. ?

It should stay the same, but introduce stiffer penalties for those who are found guilty of dangerous driving..

Give the oldies a break..

Got to agree with my countryman.

 

[Geo]

These new german speed bumps should sort out the young uns
Here

 

[Lindy-C]

Interestingly enough though, and not passing judgment either way I hasten to add........ I witnessed something this morning which made me shudder.

An old lady in the queue two people in front of me in her own words "came over all funny". She was, I would guess, in her mid seventies and walked with the aid of a stick. She said, she had "the shakes" and needed to prop herself up against the counter for a bit. The kindly gentleman in front of me offered to carry her shopping, took her by the arm and helped her out to the car waiting outside. She got into the DRIVERS seat (very gingerly), fired it up and drove off.....no one else was in the car with her.

On another occasion, some years ago, we were on our way home from an evening out, I was driving. Suddenly there was an almighty Bang - a car had gone straight through a Give Way sign and embedded itself in the side of my pride & joy. James flew out of the passenger door, opened the door of the car that had hit us to see the trembling figure of a little old man..........he hadn't seen the junction and gone straight through it at 30mph. We were all extremely lucky that no one was hurt but it did get me thinking, should he have been behind the wheel at all?

Tin hat on for incoming

 

[Brisey]

I believe the debate was triggered by an accident involving a 93 year old motorist.
A tragic story indeed, you can read about it on the following link.

http://www.bignewsday.com/story.asp?code=DB2644247V&news=killer_driver_93_spared_jail_

 

[Jim]

These new german speed bumps should sort out the young uns
Here

I wasn't expecting that,

 

[Lindy-C]

These new german speed bumps should sort out the young uns
Here

Could do with some of those outside my gate!

 

[scotjimland]

Tin hat on for incoming

I agree that medical examinations for over 70s are a good idea..
but not a driving test, just because you are 70 doesn't mean you've lost your marbles..

 

[Lindy-C]

I agree that medical examinations for over 70s are a good idea..
but not a driving test, just because you are 70 doesn't mean you've lost your marbles..

I know a few people who lost 'em long before 70!

 

[Jim]

I didn't catch all of the programme but I think I heard that over 80's are 3 times more likely to have an accident, even if this is not as bad as teenagers statistics, should we carry on regardless?

I have quite a few stories that I could relate about older drivers, but to be honest I have just as many more about middle aged drivers, its not really fair to highlight them. Do something stupid on the road aged 50, and age is not an issue, do the same thing aged 90 and they are going to ask if you are fit to drive.

If there is a problem with over 80's and surely these statistics are easy to get and not open to too much spin, then I think for the sake of the innocent loved ones who get killed, we should do something about it.

 

[American Dream]

These new german speed bumps should sort out the young uns
Here

B......dy Brilliant GEO.


Link RemovedLink Removed

 

[johnsandywhite]

:Cool: Most of our friends tend to be older than us. Although we are no spring chickens ourselves Most of our friends we have known for over 10 years. They drive no different to what they did when we first met them. That's not to say they were good or bad drivers then or now. A BAD driver will always be a BAD driver. IMH&HO.

 

[pappajohn]

I wouldnt object to re-taking a driving test and medical at 70 but only if it was paid for by the government and with age/perception/reactions allowances . but that aint gonna happen so no worries there then.:thumb:

john.

 

[Col447]

I have already told "her that must be obeyed" that am getting a bus pass and handing in my licence in when I get to 70!
The thing that did it for me was at GMEX this year on CC day this old boy came onto the stand with 2 sticks,milk bottle bottom glasses, he could hardly move. Whereupon he announced to all and sundry that he was still towing! and would continue untill he poped off.
I think we should take note from, I think it is New Zeeland, where oap's have a road test after a medical. This would sort the men from the boys!
This is one of the reasons we have a motorhome now, why wait till I'm over the hill and can't move , see, or enjoy Europe with all the hassels of getting insurance etc:Cool:

 

[Road Runner]

My dad was extremely able till he was 79 driving forty thousand miles a year plus helping me with my work and had been a good driver all his life.

The decline was sudden rapid and tragic.

Family members should be a deciding factor with older drivers advising the when they should stop or having a word with there GP's.

 

[thefman]

a health check to make sure they are physically and mentally able to drive wouldn't be a bad idea, a retest is silly when they've been driving for fifty odd years.


btw that video is a classic geo

 

[Adria 5]

HI agree with thiefman theres a bloke, i see every day next to work who owns a garage but drive a battered new burlago hes about has competant has mr magoo compared to the stigoh: needless to say i steer a wide berth in my £100,000 fuel tanker a medical would be a good idea i just had mine for a hgv
no problems

RAY

 

[Zozzer]

How many people both young and old, blatantly ignore their Doctor when specifically told they must inform the DVLC about a medical conditon, purely because they fear having their license suspended or taken off them.

It's not just the elderly that aquire medical conditions that should bar them from taking to the roads.

 

[Don Madge]

An old fart

I'm not saying how old I am but I get a free TV license next year.

I spent the last 20 years of my working life in driver training and testing and have been driving all sorts since 1952. I get 50,000 miles + out of a set of tyres so I must be doing something right.

I had to downsize four years ago when I failed the dreaded over 70 medical:Sad:

Recently I've realised I've got the reactions of a "striking slug". I practise defensive driving well most of the time :Blush: but I still find myself in situations and I'm thinking what the bloody hell am I doing here.

I would not want to change the present system except maybe to introduce an eye test because many elderly people are driving with defective eyesight.

We had some speed bumps but they had to be removed as the drivers were getting done for "Low Flying"

Safe travelling

Don

 

[Rose Royce]

It's difficult to be certain at what age older drivers should be retested, if at all. I think it would pay bigger dividends if some other catgories of driver (using that term in the loosest possible way) were removed from the roads.
Cat 1 BMW drivers
Cat 2 Volvo drivers
Cat 3 Women drivers
Cat 4 Post office drivers
Cat 5 White van man
Cat 6 Foreign drivers
Cat 6 Taxi drivers
Cat 7 Cyclists
Cat 8 Drunk drivers
Cat 9 Stupid Drivers
Add to that list tuggers and we'll have the roads almost to ourselves.
By the way, anyone in more than 1 category should be shot!:thumb:

 

[ukrv]

So Mrs Khan the female, BMW driving, taxi driver isn't top of your huggable list then

Paul

 

[justme AKA Grath]

Problem

The problem is that all drivers are not alike.
A driver that has been driving hgv or psv for all of their life and covering maybe 120,000 miles per year is very road aware and can (or should be able to) read the road better than a normal recreational car driver.
Miles under the belt is experience and although as this driver gets older and his or her reactions get slower, they may still be quicker to react to unforeseen circumstances due to their experience at reading the road.
I do not profess to know the answer, I am just making a comment!

 

[justme AKA Grath]

Same radio programm

I didn't catch all of the programme but I think I heard that over 80's are 3 times more likely to have an accident, even if this is not as bad as teenagers statistics, should we carry on regardless?

I have quite a few stories that I could relate about older drivers, but to be honest I have just as many more about middle aged drivers, its not really fair to highlight them. Do something stupid on the road aged 50, and age is not an issue, do the same thing aged 90 and they are going to ask if you are fit to drive.

If there is a problem with over 80's and surely these statistics are easy to get and not open to too much spin, then I think for the sake of the innocent loved ones who get killed, we should do something about it.

Jim, I think I heard the same radio program and what it said was that a person over 80 was 3 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured!
But the reason was due to frailty of age

 

[WeeJock]

Tests for older people.

To me (and I'm getting on myself) testing for people over seventy is plain common sense. Young people have accidents because they lack experience and are often hot headed, but that's an entirely different argument. Old people, whilst experienced, lose their faculties. And before people jump in with a statement of the obvious about how some old people are still sharp as a pin, I know that and I agree.

However, that's no reason why people over a certain age should prove that they are not a danger to others. There are many documented occurrences of age-related madness, including the woman who drove the wrong way up a motorway for many miles and the very recent one of a 93 year-old-man who killed someone because he was half blind and refused to acept that he was unfit to drive.

Surely the simple argument is that, if an old person believes that he or she is still fit to drive, then they've nothing to fear about taking a simpler test. It need not be a full test as for a new driver, simply one to prove that they can see, have no serious health problems and have reasonable reaction times to potential accidents.

 

[Supertractorman]

To me (and I'm getting on myself) testing for people over seventy is plain common sense. Young people have accidents because they lack experience and are often hot headed, but that's an entirely different argument. Old people, whilst experienced, lose their faculties. And before people jump in with a statement of the obvious about how some old people are still sharp as a pin, I know that and I agree.

However, that's no reason why people over a certain age should prove that they are not a danger to others. There are many documented occurrences of age-related madness, including the woman who drove the wrong way up a motorway for many miles and the very recent one of a 93 year-old-man who killed someone because he was half blind and refused to acept that he was unfit to drive.

Surely the simple argument is that, if an old person believes that he or she is still fit to drive, then they've nothing to fear about taking a simpler test. It need not be a full test as for a new driver, simply one to prove that they can see, have no serious health problems and have reasonable reaction times to potential accidents.

Hi,

Totally agree with you, it needs to be a reaction test, plus possibly a reversing test, as many of the older ones cannot reverse down country lanes when you meet them in the school bus.

D