Elderly Drivers

[cegerer]

One of my pet-peeves: elderly drivers. Saw one yesterday who looked so doped up on meds that I'm sure he didn't know which time-zone he was traveling thru. These people are as/more dangerous than drunk drivers but there seems to be no concern or enforcement.

So I round the bend to my home yesterday and see assorted fire trucks, EMS and police in front of my house. This can't be good. I live on a winding country road with a slightly banked 90 almost right in front. I've also got large evergreens all over the place. I wander over to the trees and find a wrecked Buick LeSabre wrapped around one of my trees. The firefighters are attempting to extricate a 91 year old woman from the wreckage ...... I asked the fire chief if she passed out or what. "No, just basically missed the curve". Missed the curve!!!!???? So they eventually airlifted her out and I don't know what happened.

The weird part is this car took a BIG hit but the airbag didn't go off??!! The fire chief told me "yeah, they only go off about half the time." What? I thought airbags were fairly reliable.

[Drago]

I recently rode with my 83 year old Grandfather. Several times during the short trip the right curb was used as a feeler.

[azasadny]

Curt,

She was probably staring at your Cayenne or the Grey Wolf and admiring them, then took her attention off the road!

[erics944]

I was almost T-boned in the middle of an intersetion yesterday on my way home from work. Guy was probably in his 60's, so he wasn't really elderly. I was stopped at a red light going to make a left turn. Light turned green and I started to take off when I saw this guy flying down the road. I quickly stopped and he hit the brakes and the middle of his car stopped right infront of me. Had I not seen him he would not have been able to stop in time and would have hit me. Fortunately he didn't hit me because I want to sell the 944. That would have sucked....

[Craig Stevens]

Here in Florida, other than hurricanes, it's our greatest hazard. When driving here, you always allow space for & escape route to avoid them. Always keep 1 eye on your rearview mirror, never start at a green light untill counting to 5. They don't see,hear,or react. It's always fun to see them exiting a restaurant. He with a walker, she with cataract sun glasses, & try to guess which one will slip behind the wheel. I don't think there is a Caddy, Buick, or Lincon that will drive in the right hand lane, or go over 45 miles per hour. Craig

[cegerer]

"He with a walker, she with cataract sun glasses, & try to guess which one will slip behind the wheel."

Great visual .... LOL!

[RickM]

I often hear of cars visiting the sidewalks in NYC. Many times with dire consequences to the pedestrians. Guess which segment of society is usually behind the wheel.... 9 out of 10 times.

Legislation is often successfully fought by the very powerful senior lobby.

[chuckw951]

This is an interesting issue. Taking the keys at a certain age isn't really an option for a number of political and practical reasons in my view. NHTSA estimates that there are currently 35 million drivers over 65 and by 2030 there will be over 70 million. They are working on this issue and there are no easy solutions.

If you are concerned about your parents driving habits, there are programs to evaluate their driving and make recommendations. Check out this site:

http://www.aota.org/olderdriver/

Click on For Consumers & Caregivers or
Find A Driving Rehab Specialist

AARP has a program as well

http://www.aarp.org/life/drive/

[RickM]

Originally posted by chuckw951
[B]If you are concerned about your parents driving habits, there are programs to evaluate their driving and make recommendations.

Unfortunately they are not mandatory. IMO, drivers should be periodically retested.

[cegerer]

I would never be in favor of some sort of age restriction. I do believe in mandatory yearly on-the-road testing after, say, 70 years of age.

[Wrecked944]

Originally posted by cegerer
I would never be in favor of some sort of age restriction. I do believe in mandatory yearly on-the-road testing after, say, 70 years of age.

Granted, my inner fascist may need a hug, but I'd agree to yearly testing for drivers of every age...plus stricter safety testing on all vehicles. To my mind, the public roads are a tool for transport, not a playground for free expression or personal choice. I think it shoud be difficult to get a license and drive a car. Of course, it would be easy for nearly everyone on this BBS. But that is sort of the point. Raise the bar and only the better and more conscientious drivers will remain.

[chuckw951]

Slightly off topic but related to the concept:

"Raise the bar and only the better and more conscientious drivers will remain."

Here's a story about a young man that was weaving in and out of traffic on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida. Car flipped over and the driver flew out of the car and off the bridge into the water 180 ft below.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040916/NEWS/409160430/1006/SPORTS

[RickM]

Originally posted by chuckw951

Here's a story about a young man that was weaving in and out of traffic on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida.

It doesn't say anything about him weaving...just speeding. kind of a wierd case.

[TerryBPP]

Living in Southwest FL I deal with 75 and up drivers all day long. These people constantly rearend others and then sue them for injuries. I saw the best bumper sticker the other day. It read like this:

In memory of John Doe
My brother was killed by a 91 yr old driver.
Are you to old to drive?

[chuckw951]

RickM you are right about the news article. I first heard about it from my parents that live in Sarasota...apparently it was on the TV news earlier in the week...After I read the last poster's comments I thought I'd use that story as a example...to illustrate that there are many poor drivers on the road. Problem is of course if you take their license they'll drive anyway...and if they can't afford insurance they'll drive without it.

[project935]

My 92 y/o neighbor still drives. Everytime he backs out of his driveway in his Buick (of course) he gets the back wheels over the curb on the opposite side of the street! He then puts it in drive and then proceeds at a brisk 10MPH pace.

We just run in the garage when we hear his car fire up ...

[RickM]

Last Saturday I was at a local breakfast place and one of the patrons was 99 that day. I bought him breakfast and talked for about 1/2 hour (best history lesson for the money). In any case, I watched as he drove off in his K car....surprisingly he appears to drive very well. Not the norm, I'd venture to say.

[pwd72s]

Cindy blew the whistle on her mother when her mother was pushing 70...the state pulled her mom's license. On the other hand, Paul Newman's racing licenses are MORE than valid, as many younger racers can attest to, and he's well into his 70's. Yes, a tough call...I just wish more people had the social concience Cindy had. Oh yeah, her mom was angry at Cindy...but her mom also lived...if you can call being in a home for dementia sufferers living. Sadly, the bad driving was one of the early signs...

[cegerer]

"It's always a Buick!"

Beware the Buicks! And the Crown Vics ........

[vash]

the problem is that the elderly are the most powerful and influencial segment of the voting population. so there isnt a lawmaker out there that is willing to commit political suicide. now if we could get all you young whippersnappers out there to rock the vote, grandma might not be such a "squeaky wheel"

i just make it a habit to avoid all buicks and caddy's (the big ones) and i am making along just fine. personally, i hate the thought of getting old, i am just trying to keep my old person karma clean. so keep on trucking grans!

on the other side of the coin, my PCA chapter is full of the "voting group" and i wouldnt want to stage behind them at any autoX. i would get smoked.