Senior Citizen's Driving
Moms View Message Board: The Kitchen Table (Debating Board): Senior Citizen's Driving
Does anyone here agree that senior citizens should be tested to make sure that they are still capable of operating a motor vehicle properly. I have noticed that alot of seniors are driving past their prime so to speak. As a matter of fact, I almost got killed by a senior woman because it was raining and I was on a major road and she decided to pull out to the middle of the road but she stopped right in front of me and since the road was wet, I slid out and almost hit her. Luckily I stopped about 7 inches from her car but I had my infant in the car and I was LIVID! Another time I was on a highway where the speed limit was 65 mph and there was a car driving in the middle of two lanes going about 30mph and I thought it was a drunk person but it turned out to be a senior man who obviously couldn't see hardly anything. I think once you hit 70 years old that you should be tested just like a teenager to make sure you can see good enough and that your reflexes are sharp enough to continue to have your license. What do you think about this?
Being 65, and having just completed my second AARP 55Alive safe driving course, I don't agree. My dad had to stop driving at 65 - he wasn't physically fit. My mom drove until age 80, when she decided she was not alert enough to continue driving.
I agree, seniors who drive unsafely (including those who "cause" accidents by driving too slowly, etc.) should be re-tested. And, in Pennsylvania a person's doctor can advise the Dept. of Motor Vehicles that a patient should be retested. Unhappily, some doctors don't.
But retesting should not be based on age. For one thing, this is discriminatory. Lots of 70 year olds should not be driving - and lots are quite safe drivers. Secondly, just as a political reality, senior citizens vote, faithfully, regularly, and in great numbers - and get quite angry when a politician talks about laws requiring automatic testing at specific ages. No politician who hopes to be re-elected will propose such a law.
Unhappily, if you live in the suburbs or a rural area and can no longer drive you are a prisoner in your home, or must sell your home and move into a "retirement center" or some such place. Which is why senior citizens who should not be driving continue to drive.
Touchy issue!
You brought up some great points Ginny!
I used to work in a nursing home and I really enjoy being around most elderly people.
However, at 82 my grandfather had hardening of the arteries. He had trouble walking and shuffled his feet. I was always upset when he drove and offered to take him anywhere, but he felt that this was still part of his independence.
In our church parking lot he hit another woman's car, (thought his foot was on the brake, it was on the gas). Totalled (sp looks funny) his car and swiped hers, thankful she was not in the car.
I had to talk to him and ask him to give up his driving. This was only made easier since he would have had to get a new car. My deal with him was he would give up driving and I would take him anywhere at anytime. He was ok with it, but the day they came and took away his car was very depressing. As a person gets older they may not have anyone to help with transportation or not want to bother people. And this is sad, another point is the part about being independent and not bothering people
We live in PA. I believe something should be done when you get your photo taken every four years. They physically see you and I don't know but at that point something needs to be done. But like Ginny said, no one wants to touch this area.
I agree with Tracie on this. If they are 70 and still fit and have good reflexes and drive good, then whats the problem with taking a test? They can take it, pass it, and get on their way. Doing a mandatory test at a certain age willI 'weed out' alot of bad drivers out there. I'm not trying to be mean to any senior citizens, this is just about their safety and the safety of others.
The person Tracie referred to that was going 35 in a 60 mph zone should absolutly NOT be on the road. That is very dangerous.
Ginny, i understand that if they can't drive some end up prissoners in thier own home. In my town we have a Laketran bus that picks up seniors and takes them to the store, library, doctor, whereever they want to go. With little or no charge.
IMHO all people over 65 should test every year. The DMV should have a special line for them so they do not have to wait so long and be intimitated by all those people. Driving test hearing and vision every year.
Living in Florida, senior heaven, I have ALWAYS ALWAYS felt there is a need for testing for ALL people as they age. Regardless.
Perception of ones abilities are very biased. Just as a drunk thinks "it was only two drinks, I'm fine." There is no sense of what is really occuring.
I will one day be "senior" and would be accountable to the exact same testing, so therefore, it is not descrimination. No different than the drinking age, drivers permit, drivers license, age to start kindergarten, family night hours at the skating rink vs teenage hours.
To say we all start taking tests at a starting age of 55 (picking that age due to senior discount age) allows all to be tested equally. Most would pass with flying colors. 55 is still young in my eyes. EVERYONE will at one point will reach 55 if they are not dead. No descrimination. If you pass, no big deal, you go on as you always have. If you don't pass, you are now warned of existing conditions you may not be aware of (something as simple as glasses). You are now ready to take note of issues and correct where possible. If you can correct, then great, you pass and drive again. If not, well, thank goodness you are not on the road.
Not passing may take you well into your 80's before you don't have the needed abilities. Good for you! But if you are lacking and are largely at risk for causing an accident or death, you do not need to be on the road.
There are ALWAYS!!! news reports in FL of incidents caused by senior drivers. And when you hear all the reasons why this person should not have been driving, it really makes you wonder.
When I was a waitress, we had a regular customer who brought his grand daughter at the same time on the same day. He had one hand in a sling, used a walker, glasses as thick as bottles, very little hearing and absolutely incredibly SLOW reflexes. His young GD would have to help him walk to the table. ALL of us working there worried about them. Clearly this man should not be driving. And that poor little girl (maybe 2nd grade) being the passanger. Let me tell you something, if they were late or missed coming in, we would all start saying prayers that is was just an illness or something.
My father is in his 70's. I remember as a youngster (remember I grew up in FL w/ TONS of senior drivers) listening to my dad say "if I ever get like that, please take my keys away. Don't these people have any idea on how bad their driving is?" Well, that stays with me. My dad has reached that point, in my opinion. When he goes on a road trip, I pray for him. I pray for others on the road with him. He has poor vision in one eye but claims "ah, heck, that doesn't cause problems. I can see just fine with my one good eye." He can not see well at night. He does what he cans to avoid night driving. But does it happen? YES! Is he making poor choices? YES! Is he putting himself in danger? YES! Worse yet, is he putting others well being in danger? ABSOLUTELY! Does he have a clue that he is not driving the way he used to drive. NO! He thinks he is still as good a driver as he used to be. "Now don't you be telling me I need to watch it. I'm careful! I've been driving (how ever many) years and never been in an accident. How many people can say that?" That is his reason for continuing to drive. Because his past record is good. But that is not what we are dealing with. We are dealing w/ the here and now. Is he quick enough to react? Can he see that person walking into the street on his bad eye side? Will he see that child crossing the street at dusk?
Dad is a great person. He is compitent person. He has always been a safe driver. However, I do think he is at a point where his vision, hearing and reflexes need to be checked. It is a fact of life. As we age, we loose a tiny bit more with each passing year. At such a slow rate, you don't realize how bad you have gotten until you see how things SHOULD BE and how thing ARE. Just like that tummy that used to be cute, but now is two sizes bigger. Or vision that seems fine until you get that new pair. "OMG, I had no idea my vision had changed so much." Gradual changes is the problem with getting older. You just can't see when you have lost too much.
Not only do I think ALL people should require ongoing tests, I think that our society needs to take into consideration what will occur once the unsafe seniors are removed from the road. How will they shop, get to the dr, entertainment, visit with friends, go to church....stuff we take for granted. There must be some sort of transportation available to all undriving seniors, and it must be afforable for the wealthy and the poor and most certainly the middle class. To me, that is where the real concerns lie. How will our nation do this?
It is easy for me to say "testing for all senior drivers". But what then? I don't think it is fair to just take away something so important without a network of survival due to transportation needs. If you don't have that first, then you will simply have seniors either ignoring the test results or doing whatever possible to not take the exams. And if the follow the rules, without solid transportation, they will have lives so far less than they had before their priviledges removed, perhaps even deaths or severe illness due to neglect.
I encounter horrible senior drivers every day of my driving. It really is scary.
I also encounter horrible teenage drivers, male drivers and female drivers regardless of age. However, age is clearly a mark of abilities lost, and therefore in need to testing.
I encounter more trouble with elderly drivers than I do with younger drivers. I have had elderly drivers pull out in front of me too many times to count. It is a touchy issue.
When people can barely walk to their car, I wonder just how well they can drive their car.
My grandpa stopped driving after my grandmother died. That was in 1997. He was 86. DH and I needed a different car, so my dad gave us his car. My youngest sister tried to make me feel guilty about it once by saying Grandpa really missed his car, but he really couldn't be driving anymore. I didn't let it bother me, though.
My former neighbor had a bad accident with her car shortly before we moved into our house 7 years ago. She had to go get tested and she failed, so they didn't give her another driver's license. It didn't stop her from driving and she was pretty scary in a car. 4 years ago, she fell and broke her hip and has been in a nursing home since, so hasn't been driving since then.
I think EVERYONE should be retested every so many years, it wouldn't have to be every 4, but every 10 would be nice. I encounter horrible drivers every day of all ages. I almost got hit by someone running a stop sign last night.
Alot of young people should not be driving also. I think their temperment should be tested. If you have too much testoserone your licence should be taken away!
I think older people get in less accidents than younger people. Why do I think that.... Must have read it some where. Just know your limitations.
My mom (who lives in NYC) voluntarily gave up her license in her early 70's.
The fact that she lived a few doors from a supermarket and could get to anything she needed by walking probably made it easier.
Independence is a very important part of being an adult. I really feel bad for the elderly who live in their own homes and need a means of transportation to get to the store and run errands. Elderly people like these would need a support system to help them if you decide to take away their driving license.
This article has an interesting chart showing accident rates versus age:
http://www.qualityplanning.com/news/030929-Older%20drivers.htm
Apparently, the elderly have the lowest rate of moving violations (running lights etc.)
But are involved in almost as many accidents as beginning drivers.
Many elderly people (like my mom) support the idea of testing just to protect others on the road.
Driving is not a "right". It is a priviledge granted to those who demonstrate the knowledge (written test) and sensory ability (sight) to drive safely.
The state I live in (New York) already mandates vision tests EVERYTIME you renew your license.
At a minimum a vision test should be done for everyone. And maybe a simple reflex and cognitive test should be added as well for everyone.
My grandmother almost got in 2 accidents with me as the passenger while I was 7 months pregnant, and she was only traveling a few miles! I thought "oh my god she is going to kill someone including herself and my grandfather!" it really worries me but I agree with everyone that there needs to be some kind of public transportation service specifically for seniors who cant drive anymore. It is a very worrysome issue and I think about it everytime I think about my grandparents on the road. I just think that it's more important to think about the victims of accidents caused by seniors on the road who are not fit to drive. I'm sorry but if I am going to feel sorry for the senior who can't go anywhere versus the young mother and her baby who were killed by a senior driver, my pity is going to the mother and child. It's more important in my opinion to think of safety first, for the senior and also for the other people on the road.
This is just a little funny about my Grandpa. My Grandpa would always borrow my Moms old red Chevy Station wagon. He would get in it revie it up and shift into gear and floor it and all of us kids would set outside listening because the store wasnt to far from the house and you could hear him all the way there and all the suden you would hear a dog yelp or bark. because Grandpa tried to run over it. What was funny about the whole thing it was always the same dog. I think it heard Grandpa start it up and it would wait for him to go by. Thats just a funny childhood memory that still makes me smile and the funniest thing is that poor dog out lived my Grandpa.
Feona, I couldn't agree more! Teenage drivers are among the worst!
It looks like 81 and above have the same accident rate at 16 to 20 year olds. Hmmm...
Don't know what to say.
I think there should be across the board testing. Every day I see moving violations that were clearly explained in drivers ed being committed by 30 to 40 something people. I think John hit this right on the head it is a privilege not a right. And I don't think age has anything to do with bad driving. Yes I think that old age issues can make you a bad driver but so can't a cell phone, lack of respect for other drivers, lack of knowledge of driving rules and guide lines and being in too much of a hurry.
I drive my oldest DD a half hour to school every morning. Every Tom Dick and Harry is trying to get to work at that time in the morning. I am driving the speed limit on a back road on a blind curve and it never fails someone will pass me. Why because it is their right to do whatever they see fit. With it being winter. I will drop my speed on days when the roads are bad. And I will have some 30 something that can't think enough in advance to leave his house a bit early so he can drive safely pass me doing at least ten miles over the posted speed limit. Oh that brings up a story. I live off of a state route. The road is lined with fields so there is nothing to block the winds or snow so the road can be H**L when a storm kicks up. I am talking 15 miles and hour just so you can keep it on the road. One day we were in town when the storm hit. We decided we had better head on home. Some guy pulls up behind us. He is flashing his lights, blowing his horn and right on our tail. He is in an all fired up hurry. He blows past us causing us to be in a white out. We continue on at our 15 miles and hour. About a half mile up the road we see the guy loose it and flip his car five times. I was so scared. Used the cell to call 911 and we went to the nearest house. Dh and the Dh from the house walked back down the field to the wreck. They guy had really messed his self up. Why because he shouldn't have been driving. He wasn't following commonsense rules. He thought it was his right and his right could have took my life and the life of the people that were right in front of him when he lost it. I think we should have across the board testing and it should be for a set number of years and it should start as soon as you get your license until the day you give up driving, period..
My DH totalled his car two years ago due to an elderly driver. Thank God he walked away with minimal injuries. Injuries that required a year of physical therapy, but alive and walking, thank goodness! DH was driving along a main road and an elderly gentleman turned left right in front of him in broad daylight. DH's car was RED! ARGH!
Yes, I do believe elderly drivers should be tested more often. The requirements differ from state to state. My Dad is 71 and a very capable driver, however not everyone his age is.
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