Should there be a driving age limit?

[Tobra]

If anyone ever was injured, the narcotic use comes out in court.

In effect, there already is a limit, it is just rarely enforced. This is done in a few ways.

Most states require an in person vision test at a certain age. Person who is confused or has poor vision should not pass.

Practically all elderly people have a physician. Their physician is supposed to assess this, in elderly patients, and send a letter to the DMV if necessary.

That is how it is supposed to work.

Here is a summary of the state laws that seems accurate enough
https://seniorsafetyadvice.com/elderly-driving-laws-by-state/

I see FAR more young people that should not be driving, than elderly ones.

[pwd72s]

Why not take care of 2 problems at once? Eliminate the tax burden of social security and the hazard of old people driving by modifying life expectancy. At 65, everybody goes to a (humane of course) life ending center?

[CurtEgerer]

I've got a neighbor in his 70s who had a stroke a couple years ago. He staggers like a drunk when he walks and is in a state of perpetual imbalance. I feel sorry for his situation. But he also drives every day Backing out of his driveway usually takes 2-3 attempts. Pretty good odds he'll eventually kill or injure somebody out on the road. Hopefully, it won't be a young person who hasn't lived their life yet.

[Tobra]

That is an excellent example where a doctor has an obligation to write a letter to the DMV

[masraum]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Why not take care of 2 problems at once? Eliminate the tax burden of social security and the hazard of old people driving by modifying life expectancy. At 65, everybody goes to a (humane of course) life ending center?

[flatbutt]

Take away my MC endorsement you may as well shoot me.

[gacook]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

It makes me mad when I think about how low the bar is set when it comes to issuing a license to a driver in this country.

If I was king of the world, drivers would be tiered depending on skill level, checked every couple of years. I live in Oregon, I just got my license last year, my next renewal is in 2029. That is absolutely ludicrous.
A master reset of the driving rules could probably thin the herd by 1/3 of people allowed on the roads, andthe rest should be required to demonstrate competency in order to move traffic smartly and efficiently, thereby negating the need to build more roads.

That's chump level. I last renewed my license...10 years ago? And it's good until 2047--when I'm 70.

On a good note, they did send me a letter last year telling me I needed to go in and update my photo, so that's something, I guess...

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by gacook

That's chump level. I last renewed my license...10 years ago? And it's good until 2047--when I'm 70.

On a good note, they did send me a letter last year telling me I needed to go in and update my photo, so that's something, I guess...

I'm betting they'll ask you to take off glasses....it's for the new facial recognition software in case you wish to begin a new bank robbery career.

[unclebilly]

I find this thread troubling in many ways given current things happening in my life…

The thing you need to bear in mind is that it’s not about how good of a driver you / we are 99% of the time, it’s that 1% of the time where you make a life changing mistake for someone that we need to be concerned about.

My dad ran into his neighbour’s parked car (across the street) as he backed out of his driveway. He blames the neighbour for parking his car there and contests that he’s a good driver… I believe there is a letter from the DMV in his mailbox revoking his driving privileges, trouble is that dad either hasn’t got his mail in 2-3 months, haven’t opened the letter, or is just keeping it a secret.

It will get dealt with in the next couple weeks when I go visit him. This is what happens when you get old, think you are immortal, and refuse to plan for when you are no longer able to manage on your own because ‘that’s a long ways out…’

Wish me luck because it’s not going to be fun.

[Tobra]

He lost his license for backing into a parked car?

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by Tobra

He lost his license for backing into a parked car?

Nope.

He refuses to control his blood sugars or acknowledge that he needs to. We met with his GP back in October and he did OK on the cognitive test (his sugars were OK then). When the doc found out he turned off all of the help (nurses helping with meds, refusing to let anyone check his sugars, lifeline, etc) combined with the nurses daily reports, random falls requiring medical aid, the decision was made by the GP to write a letter to the DMV.

We made it crystal clear to him that if he wanted to maintain his independence, there were certain requirements. He has called our bluff.

[unclebilly]

This is the poster on his fridge door…



He insists on going out every day and having donuts or pie, takes his meds sporadically (has no idea what day it is or what meds to take), and won’t control his sugars, has stopped the nurses from coming in to check on him or help with his meds. He insists on being completely irrational.

[stevej37]

Last summer..driving behind a line of cars...the car ahead of me passed the next car when going over a short bridge. No problem, except there was a car with a gal driving coming in the opposite direction. She damn near hit the bridge abutment trying to avoid him.

At the next traffic light..I ended up next to him. I rolled my window down and pointed to him to do the same. I yelled at the 70 or so year old guy..."You almost killed that lady back there"

He looked at me like I was a ghost.

[gacook]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

This is the poster on his fridge door…



He insists on going out every day and having donuts or pie, takes his meds sporadically (has no idea what day it is or what meds to take), and won’t control his sugars, has stopped the nurses from coming in to check on him or help with his meds. He insists on being completely irrational.

So...this is where I deviate from "the norm." My take on situations like these is: it's his life; he's lived a long one; let him do whatever the hell he wants for however long he has left.

But take away his license

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by gacook

So...this is where I deviate from "the norm." My take on situations like these is: it's his life; he's lived a long one; let him do whatever the hell he wants for however long he has left.

But take away his license

And that's where we have arrived as well.

For the record, my brother and I had nothing to do with taking away his license, this was all his GP based on what is going on and the decisions dad has made / continues to make.

And it sucks.

[gacook]

If I had elderly parents (I don't/won't; both of mine died in their 60's), I think I'd take the keys when it was time and teach them how to call an Uber/Lyft. Link their account to your card, so they don't have to worry about it, and let them go about doing whatever they want. That way, they still have the independence of being able to go wherever/whenever without feeling like they're inconveniencing anyone else.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

He refuses to control his blood sugars or acknowledge that he needs to. We met with his GP back in October and he did OK on the cognitive test (his sugars were OK then). When the doc found out he turned off all of the help (nurses helping with meds, refusing to let anyone check his sugars, lifeline, etc) combined with the nurses daily reports, random falls requiring medical aid, the decision was made by the GP to write a letter to the DMV.

We made it crystal clear to him that if he wanted to maintain his independence, there were certain requirements. He has called our bluff.

Isn't that a violation of patient privacy?

[unclebilly]

^^^ um no.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I think many/most states require docs to notify DMV of impairment with drivers. Similar to mandatory reporting for child/elder abuse.

[Seahawk]

I drove a lot the past 7 days...lots of meeting, from DC to Virginia Tech, then to Huntsville, on to Atlanta, Aiken and home. Easier to drive, frankly, than fly, rent car, fly rent car: Plus the nearest aeropuerto is either Regan or BWI. Hours away north of me. This was my first extensive road trip in 18 months or so.

For every geezer, and they are out there, the amount of speeding I witnessed, excessive, 40mph over the limit in and out of traffic, was 10x the geezer issue and much more dangerous. Incredible feats of stupidity.

If you want the federal government and states involved in who gets to drive based on age, lets add the vehicle to the equation: no car should be able to go 90 mph. In Atlanta, at 0530 in the morning so I could miss traffic, I was driving at 75 mph and was passed, in moderate traffic (still dark) by cars going an easy 100 mph. Insane stuff.

Think of the children.