do you think elderly drivers need additional driving test?

[vash]

saw a messed up accident. happened right before my eyes.

[oldE]

I'm putting on my flame-suit, but I think ALL drivers should be periodically re-tested for ability. Too many of us (and I am certainly including myself) figure once we're out there, we're good to go. If we're lucky, we get exposed to somebody else's stupid mistake and resolve to pay more attention, but too many people drive around with their head up their @ss, secure in their sense of competence.

Les

[competentone]

You're not planning on running for any political offices while asking that question?

From a statistical stand point, the older drivers are the safest group of drivers on the road.

That doesn't mean there are some who shouldn't be on the roads, but if you want to make the roads safer by targeting one specific "group" of drivers, look at men/boys in the 16-28 age-range.

If you put governors regulating acceleration and top speed on cars driven by males in the 16-28 age-group, you'd see a dramatic drop in overall accident rates.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Damn straight. ALL drivers need more scrutinizing, but it will never happen. This has been debated ad nauseum here and elsewhere. I normally can't stand it when people say "use the search function", but I have to in this case, lest I waste another hour of my life writing ANOTHER essay about how our system doesn't care about skill, it cares about maximizing revenue from automotive dependence of constituent members of society. . .

Short version: Everyone makes too much money and lobbies like the AARP are too strong. It'll NEVER happen. NEVER. The gubmint would sooner repeal income tax.

[trekkor]

It's always a good time when you come up on slow traffic on the freeway just to find "grammy" is doing 45 in a 65 in one of the center lanes...

I'm looking foward to next time.


KT

[legion]

Yep.

But they vote...and the AARP will call this "discrimination".

[The Gaijin]

Writing tickets for doing 10 over on a down hill on an empty interstate does nothing. I am not much for Big Brother - but it is time for unmarked cars with video and take all the bad drivers off the road.

[legion]

But it's so much easier to doze off in a parked squad car with a fixed LIDAR and let the alarm wake you up then to actually patrol the roads.

[john70t]

Sorry, but everyone has the RIGHT to travel on the public roads unharassed. Nobodys fault but ones own if they can't schedule their time properly. The speed limit is the maximum vehicle speed allowed by law.

I've only seen a few examples of extreme slowness, but see the opposite extreme on a daily basis. How many thousands of people are killed every year by other people driving outside their limits?

As roadways get more and more congested, the auto industry judge new commuter cars by the skidpad and 1/4 mile test, advertise people speeding in dangerous conditions(Lance Armstrong is never shown on those mountain two-laners, nor little kids playing in the street), but the industry still use expensive plastic bumpers.
The governments mandating of traction control is just an enabler of reckless bad habits, and, however justified, GPS infringes on civil liberties.

I agree with the testing, but first other solutions would be to have more extensive training of young drivers, hard-core enforcement and propaganda of "slow traffic keep right", and stronger penalties for reckless behaviour(tailgating/swerve driving/merge cheaters/etc).

Remember there are old people inside those boxes, just as there are people behind those walkers on the busy sidewalk. Someday...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Speed limits are for revenue only. Any safety benefit is incidental and unintended.

You're HONESTLY telling me that modern cars and modern pavement compositions yield a situation where it requires 1,000 feet to come to a stop from 45 mph? Gimmee a break.

Speed limits are designed and legislated by the most stupid, indiscriminate members of society, FOR the most stupid, indiscriminate members of society. If they were more reaonable and more accurately reflected the capabilities of today's vehicles/roads/drivers, there'd be far less b1tching and whining about them and far fewer people "speeding", because the "limit" speeds would be higher and encompass the range people naturally feel comfortable going anyway.

It's a sham. I'm not buying the "speed limits save lives" crap for a second. It's completely and totally about revenue.

[}{arlequin]

Originally posted by john70t
I've only seen a few examples of extreme slowness, but see the opposite extreme on a daily basis. How many thousands of people are killed every year by other people driving outside their limits?


A better solution would be to have more extensive training of young drivers, hard-core enforcement and propaganda of "slow traffic keep right", and stronger penalties for reckless behaviour.

though i'm not disagreeing w/ your other paragraphs, i'm only quoting the ones i'd like to comment on.

i have no problem w/ extra training for young beginning drivers. there simply wouldn't ever be enough for them. between car control and all the possible 'on-road' situations that come across w/ experience, it would only enhance their safety/awareness. daily, drivers around me do stupid $h!t that i almost always can see developing before it happens. can't get that in a 2hr driving school...

as for the accidents caused by excessive speed... sure. agree w/ that too, but it's caused by inexperienced, 'typical' drivers. i do wish there were special, easily-distinguished license plates for people w/ *extra* experience in vehicular control as well as situational awareness. you know... the ones w/ 20+ weekends of track experience etc...

take a 'track test', get issued a 'special' license, oh hell... i don't care, you can make it day-glo pink for all i care... just so it's clearly visible... it would distinguish you to the police that you are *different* from the mass of drivers out there, and that would prevent you from being pulled over

sure, if you cause an accident etc, you're still on the hook, plus revocation of the 'pink' status license, but most track junkies know how and when to push the fun on a street due to a built-in respect for what can happen.

would you possibly scare some drivers if you pass them quickly? sure, but how is that different from the current idiots zooming by anyway?

when i'm governor....

[john70t]

Agreed, but Gub'ment subsidized track time for all

[pmajka]

When i can no longer safely pilot a car, i may have to be pulled by force. but, the key word is safely. How will I know if i am still safe, if I cant remember what i had for breakfast.

my grandmother is voluntary quitting driving this year. 78Y/O

[NICKG]

Originally posted by competentone
From a statistical stand point, the older drivers are the safest group of drivers on the road.

most likely because they create the carnage, but aren't necessarily in the carnage. IE, the cause tha accident behind them.

My view is that they should have REAL driver testing, like in Europe. Make getting a liscense expensive, involved and time consuming. They need to institute a higher driving age, maximum engine size/poweroutput and restrict passengers on new drivers.

This is REALLY important on Motorcycle liscenses, picture a newbie who just geets his liscense buying a new sportbike. (in case most of you people are not in the know on these, most 600 have 120 hp...1000cc bikes are well north of 165hp!)

[stomachmonkey]

Older drivers need to be re-educated and re-evaluated. maybe restrictions for times of day etc...

Both of my kids will start learning how to drive as soon as they can reach the pedals. They will learn on a standard shift. They will work for the funds to buy and insure their 1st beater and will learn the basic maintenance. Neither will be allowed on the road w/out advanced driver school. Skip Barber or something similar.

It is not my reponsibility to put my kids on the road as quickly and easily as possible.

It is my responsibility to protect them from every one else out there as well as protect them from themselves.

It is also my responsibility to society to not turn my children loose in a 2 ton guided missle.

[Joeaksa]

As a working pilot I get checked every six months, both in a simulator and by a flight surgeon. Do not believe that we need to go to this extent but say above age 65 get a drivers exam every couple of years and eye test/reaction test at the same time.

My Fathers wife (no relation) caused over 10 accidents that we know of after my Father was bedridden. Two of them were witnessed in person by either myself or my sisters whilst riding in the car with her. I finally went out in the garage and disabled her car by pulling the coil wire.

Then went to the computer and made a notice. Put it on the car advising any mechanic that was called to fix the car that it was disabled to keep her from hurting anyone in a car accident and if they fixed the car that they were now liable. For some reason several mechanics were called to fix the car but they could never get it to run!

[Dantilla]

Originally posted by Joeaksa

Then went to the computer and made a notice. Put it on the car advising any mechanic that was called to fix the car that it was disabled to keep her from hurting anyone in a car accident and if they fixed the car that they were now liable. For some reason several mechanics were called to fix the car but they could never get it to run!

You deserve a standing ovation for that. What a great thing to do.

[sewell94]

They need to do something, i know my 96 year old great grandfather who is blind as a bat, bought an eye chart and memorized it, but he didn't even need it, somehow they let the old farts renew though the mail instead of having to take an eye test every 4 years. Its a scary thought

[Noah930]

You're HONESTLY telling me that modern cars and modern pavement compositions yield a situation where it requires 1,000 feet to come to a stop from 45 mph?

Depends. With or without cellphone, iPod, and/or PDA?

Agreed, but Gub'ment subsidized track time for all

(note: that's rootbeer they're toasting, not anything alcoholic)

It is also my responsibility to society to not turn my children loose in a 2 ton guided missle.

[Porsche_monkey]

Drivers over 80 years here are checked for vision and knowledge of road rules (written test). Several of my fathers friends have to do this test shortly and they are terrified they will fail. None of them think they are poor drivers. Many of them are.

Vision and road safety need to be re-tested at a 'certain' age.