Rubik

Sorry guys this is not a technical thread.

Should there be more stringent DL renewal once you pass a certain age? Let's say 70.

Some guy ran into the LAX airport with a Panny. Mistook the gas for brake. http://abc7.com/news/1-injured-after...rminal/759036/

Some guy crashed into our commuter last month because he was 89, was wearing hearing aids, and half inch thick glasses. Naturally he did not hear or notice all the honking, flashing of high beam, and finally swerving by my wife and still managed to smash into our rear quarter panel.

BTW, please don't hate me. My dad is 67 and I get nervous when I'm his passenger. But maybe that's the OCD in me.

5CHN3LL

Wow, you're gonna **** Hurdi off. On the plus side, he'll forget in about ten minutes.

5CHN3LL

And yes, there should be. Driving with my grandfather for the last 15 years he had a license was terrifying. In his small town in NM, though, he knew everyone, and nobody wanted the guy to revoke/fail to renew his DL. Glad he didn't kill anyone...driving at 15mph in some situations can be as dangerous as driving 115.

Rubik

Oh, I know a couple of folks that will get pissed, one particularly fashionable. But hey, even if it were me, I wouldn't want to be a safety hazard for the public.

Rubik

Also my old boss was in his mid 70s and couldn't drive worth sh%#. While he was parking he would stop so abroptly that I thought I was going to fly through the windshield.

johnireland

If you can pass a behind the wheel test you should get the license. For older people make them do it every other year. But no arbitrary age limits.

Hurdigurdiman

I don't agree with that John... I say from 65 onward people should be tested every year. That should weed out those who cannot drive correctly regardless of their age. They never could drive anyway. I am certain that I would pass first class at my age. I am the kind of driver that curse others on the road. I was dragging our 12 ft long trailer yesterday with a horse show cart on it behind our mini van along a dual carriageway at 55 mph in a 55 limit. This burk came out into my lane driving an SUV and was looking for some place on the right to turn into. Actually he was looking for an ice cream place. He slowed down and I was not able to drive out to the left lane of this 2 lane carriage way because of overtaking traffic already in that lane. I was down to 15mph by the time he decided to turn off. I don't usually honk the horn, but in this case, I didn't let off the horn until he left my lane. He was nowhere near 70 years of age. I felt like kicking this guys ***** off I was so mad. On many occassion I see drivers making extra wide turns left and right for no bloody reason at all. Some drivers make me so pissed off. Road rage???? God help me. YES test everyone from the age of 65 onward. If they fail then kick them off the roads for a year then retest them again. etc... Oh and in the States, make ALL drivers, regardless of their age, pass the stick shift test as well as the auto transmission like they do in the UK. Not having been tested to drive a stick shift car correctly has got to be one of the most stupidest laws of all driving laws in the USA.

extanker

as a senior citizen i am doing my part to make the roads safer,after 30 years of corvettes is was time to slow down.................................................................... .....so i bought a porsche

prosled8

My friends father just caused a bad accident... Almost 80, confused more easily these days he missed the turn onto his road. In the process of turning back on to the highway he pulled out in front of someone. Totaled the 4wd Tacoma he was driving and sent him to the hospital with a concussion. I am not sure what happened to the other party but they too likely lost a vehicle, hopefully they were not injured.

Two days later, he wants his son to take him truck shopping. They contemplated distributing his picture among the local dealerships asking them not to sell this man a vehicle. Might not be the worst idea...

relinuca

I'm 72 and have several friends who are my contemporaries. There are noticeable differences between us in re. general health, cognitive reasoning, eyesight, etc.

Such differences become more pronounced over the years. These "facts" are undeniable.

While I would complain about annual DL tests, say beginning at age 70, I would comply. Citizenry has its obligations.

relinuca

PS: While I still "run the gears" occasionally, I have slowed down my driving speeds in recent years. Benefits? No speeding ticket in 7 years!

Zenski

I've said this for years. IF you are still a good driver then no big deal

mharrison

The "for older people" would have to be defined by an "arbitrary age" so, I don't think we can comply with the "For older people make them do it every other year. But no arbitrary age limits."

thebowl

I thought of this years ago, also.

And it is no more "arbitrary" to pick a date after which a person has some degree of heightened scrutiny (the details are just that, details) than it is to use an "arbitrary" date before which one cannot qualify to drive. Unless getting a license should be open to a child of any age who can pass the tests, then there is no rational basis to object to having to "re-qualify" beginning at some age.

alpine003

I would normally say yes with the exception of my neighbor. He's the original owner of his house at 93yo and he still drives. Amazing and frightening at the same time. However he drives better than over half the teens here and he know how to backup his car faster than me in his long single car driveway. I guess being a soldier through WW2, POW, also going through the Great Depression could have something to do with it.

williamr91

I cannot agree more. As an insurance agent, one of my least favorite things is explaining to someone over 70 or so, why there insurance pricing is creeping up (best part, I've done this...when a client just got into an accident going 2 mph and KEPT Going into another car a few days before this convo and his renewal).

I've read a study from an actuary team (forget which auto carrier) that once you hit a certain age, I believe it was 75 your driving becomes just as dangerous as a 16, 17, year old. Once you his 80 or so (again paraphrasing and could be using the wrong ages) your driving skills are that of a "STUDENT DRIVER"

But bad drivers do affect every age range, as a country we really need to revamp our driving tests and such. More like Germany and/or other European countries; focus on traffic flow (right is for passing only), everyone learns a stick, slightly older driving ages, etc.