New plans to overhaul driving tests, including changing the age and using satnavs (1 Viewer)

[motor roamin]

Havering re read this post, must say I think I was right, I am sure that the problem is not age it's attitude, training and experience, I am certain we are all better more considerate drivers with experience, not just because we are older, yes we slow down with age but so do our reactions, so instead of reacting to a situation we tend to slow down, this should be a big part of training, though some people will never want to learn and will always know better and age is no barrier to that, I am dreading the day I no longer can drive, just hope I can recognise I am no longer safe and need to stop.......that will be hard for anyone who enjoys driving.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

I was hit head on by a teenager who passed his test the day before. He had all his mates in his Fiesta that daddy bought and insured (on his Keswick holiday park insurance!).
He managed to write off both cars ( I was in a discovery) and the options I were given from the Police were for him to either be charged with 'Dangerous or careless driving' or to attend a course.
If charged he would have lost his licence and need a retest.
I said to send him on the course as hopefully he would learn more.
Even now, I do not think the lad represents the majority of young drivers.
Tbh, I think his dad has a lot to answer for. As soon as he arrived on the scene, he told his 'angel' to say nothing to the Police!

 

[Doctor Dave]

Anyone who uses a car & thinks that it is for getting from Ato B should automatically be disqualified from ever driving. It is a vocation; what you should be living for;An enjoyment that brings a thrill & sense of satisfaction every time you get behind the wheel. Anything less should be walking . As I was taught , anything less than an 8 mile journey is wasteful of resources & the people should be walking/using public transport. ( That'd probably reduce journeys alone by 50% )
Accidents are nature's way of keeping the population to a reasonable level. We need a huge reduction in the population to be able to drive without being inconvenienced by cyclist's & pedestrians.

I'm sure this was intended to be tongue in cheek because, apart from the bit about public transport, I think is a load of twaddle, and one of the worst posts I have seen on the fun forum.

Dave

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[buttons]

Thing is the situation with young drivers is so bad the govt is being forced to act, so there have been enough bad ones to create that situation. Size and race in your example is less of a factor in deaths and injuries than age.

Rather than wielding a big stick affecting every young driver there are plenty of other ways to give young drivers safe experience. My granddaughter recently passed her test at the first attempt. She now has a spy in the cab which records every aspect of her driving and her insurance is judged by her result. She has access on her phone or pc to how she is performing herself as her insurance company does.
I feel a lot safer in her passenger seat than I do in many middle aged drivers seats.

 

[Hillbum]

I agree with some of it, I do not see the point of increasing the pass rate as standards need to rise, raising the medical declaration to 75 is stupid, I believe everyone should have a medical at 70(at their own expense) to stop people being economical with their ailments and compulsory reassessments at 75. And before you ask I'm 73 and have just passed my Medical.

Was the test OK and where did you have it done? GP or one of the HGV Centres?
I was going to apply this month, but just had a hip replaced so don't think now would be good, I've got a couple of months.

 

[Puddleduck]

Seem to remember reading somewhere that 80 and 90 year old drivers have more "at fault" accidents per mile driven than any other driver. However there was no reference to the severity of the accident. Wish I could find the reference.......

Might be back.


US figures from 1990 (University of Michigan)

Passenger-vehicle travel data from the 1990 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) are combined with accident data from the 1990 Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) and the 1990 General Estimates System (GES) to produce accident involvement rates per vehicle mile of travel. The same data sources are also used to generate rates per driver and per capita. Analyses are conducted according to the age and gender ofthe driver for fatal involvements, injury involvements, and all police-reported accidents. Elevated mileage-based rates of fatal involvements were observed for drivers 16-19 and 75 and over. The youngest drivers had 3.0 times the overall risk off at an involvement per mile driven, while the oldest drivers experienced 3.8 times the overall risk.

I did find a UK report but don't have the time to read it all the way through as it is so complex.

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[motor roamin]

Was the test OK and where did you have it done? GP or one of the HGV Centres?
I was going to apply this month, but just had a hip replaced so don't think now would be good, I've got a couple of months.

Doesn't matter it's the same exam, just make sure you know how to contact the dr if he makes a mistake on the d4, the doc that has served us for the past 10 years conducts medicals at our centre though he has a local practice, lives in my village, so no escape when you are happy with the above go for the cheapest

Seem to remember reading somewhere that 80 and 90 year old drivers have more "at fault" accidents per mile driven than any other driver. However there was no reference to the severity of the accident. Wish I could find the reference.......

Might be back.


US figures from 1990 (University of Michigan)

Passenger-vehicle travel data from the 1990 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS) are combined with accident data from the 1990 Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) and the 1990 General Estimates System (GES) to produce accident involvement rates per vehicle mile of travel. The same data sources are also used to generate rates per driver and per capita. Analyses are conducted according to the age and gender ofthe driver for fatal involvements, injury involvements, and all police-reported accidents. Elevated mileage-based rates of fatal involvements were observed for drivers 16-19 and 75 and over. The youngest drivers had 3.0 times the overall risk off at an involvement per mile driven, while the oldest drivers experienced 3.8 times the overall risk.

I did find a UK report but don't have the time to read it all the way through as it is so complex.

Don't compare our driving standards or driving test with the USA we are light years ahead, I know have car and truck licenses in both countries, Americans drive to the end of their hood no further.....scarey.

 

[tonyidle]

One of the most contributary reasons for the increased number of motorcycle accidents recently, blamed on older riders returning to 'bikes after years and not used to the power of modern machines has to be the total deprivation of awareness of surroundings by modern'full face' helmets. Wearing one of these tends to isolate you - you can't hear properly and your peripheral vision is limited, both of which are essential to be a safe and responsible rider.

From Highway Code in the section relating to motorcyclists clothing and protective gear "Consider wearing ear protection." Few serious motorcyclists consider riding without earplugs. Likewise full face helmets. Continual motorway riding, especially in the rain, is a misery in anything other than a full face helmet. A 70mph windblast makes "hearing properly" impossible - for the rest of the day unless earplugs are worn.

The point about modern machines and power is valid. Not too many years ago a "big" bike was a 650cc twin producing around 40hp. A popular racing 500cc Norton produced around 50hp. By today's "road going" standards neither handled or stopped very well. The tyres ran out of grip just after the rider's nerve at maybe 40 degrees from vertical. Today sports bikes produce between 150 & 200hp. The chassis is rigid and handling impeccable. The brakes will stand the bike on its nose with one finger on the lever - and do so time after time without fading. Tyres will still grip or slide controllably with the riders elbow on the road (literally). They are utterly (over) confidence inspiring. And no better at dealing with other traffic and variable road conditions than their predecessors. That still rests with the rider who is now traveling very confidently too fast.