Should the elderly lose driving priveleges after a certain age?
 

According to studies, senior drivers have the highest rates of fatal car accidents per mile except teen-agers.

Just yesterday in STL, an 84 year old woman slammed through a school cafeteria wall, killing one student and injuring several others.

This summer, a 70 year old woman struck and killed a highway worker. The worker was on the shoulder of a closed lane. The driver was travelling an estimated 15 MPH over the work zone limit.

This morning, while heading to Walgreens to pick up a script for my wife, an elderly lady was driving in the middle "suicide" turn lane, ran a red light and struck a family waiting to make a left turn (coming the other direction) at a stoplight. Her first comment to police? "I don't know why that car was in MY lane....."

Should legislation be passed that senior citizens have to be retested at a certain age?

Poll to follow......

I agree on the re-testing after the age of 70.

I'm actually more concerned about "kids" than old people. Teenagers driving on the road are the ABSOLUTE worst drivers in the world. They make elderly drivers look like Drivers Ed Instructors.

Oh, and if you can't speak english, F OFF. NO LICENSE.

I've seen one elderly person turn left and drive up the off ramp of I29 North at Barry Road like she was going onto 29 South..... and another one driving the wrong way on 9 Highway just north of Northtown where there wasn't anywhere to turn around.


Yes.

As Chitown says, a better approach would be to not allow people to drive until they're 25.

The figures are actually skewed a bit on the fatal crashes, too. While teenagers are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes, it's because they're REALLY screwing up, and I suspect that "their" fatalities are more often the person in the other car. Elderly people's fatal crashes more typically involve themselves as the death due to their lesser physical condition, in crashes that may not be as bad. At least, that's what I've surmised from the data. (I've done a fair amount of work in this area.)

Both of your points are right on. I agree with the re - testing at 70.

Driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right, and should be treated as such.

The tests for driving a 2000lb weapon should be much harder to pass than they are.

I'd love to see something to the tune of a video game with force-feedback at the DMV that tests people's ability to react to a kid stepping out between two cars, etc. If you don't have the strength/speed to maintain control of the vehicle or the mental facilities needed to turn the proper directions you don't need to be driving.

Id say testing after retirement every time you get a new licence..we've got a neighbor hes 91 still drives.. if you meet him on these gravel roads you have to get over..he won't get out of the middle..we like the ole-fart so we take him for granted..if he lived in a metro hed be dangerous tho....

I don't know about taking it at a certain age. Driving drunk is dangerous mostly because you lose reaction time as well as some decision making ability. I would say that most older folks suffer from the first in some form or another, the second is probably less widespread. I'm not sure how you would effectively test it but reflexes aren't going to come back once age starts to degrade them, it would seem that failing a reflex test ought to pull your licence.

Testing after a certain age -- say, 65 -- is perfectly fine, and in no way unfair to those who are still capable of driving.

Frankly, though, people should probably be required to be tested every few years, regardless of age. I remember passing my driver's license test and thinking, "Wait, that's it?"

That would just result in the rate of fatal crashes among the 25-30 age group skyrocketing.

What is the right age to start testing?
I see folks that look to be 30-50 that I wonder how in the heck did they get a license to drive.

CRUCIFY THEM!

I have no doubt that it would go up, but I doubt that it would approach the levels of the 16 and 17 year-olds. A 25 year-old is an entirely different species than a 16 year-old in terms of judgment.

I agree with the retesting beyond a certain age, though.

We hold the power. You can't mess with us.

It's the driving into buildings thing that I find most worrisome. I've lost track of how many times that's happened here locally in the past couple years. Apparently they get mixed up between which is the gas and which is the brake and next thing they know they're parked in a dentist's office and a couple of people are dead.

But on the lighter side, has anyone seen the Southpark episode dedicated to the subject? Very funny stuff. Here's the script.

http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/southp...thpark-710.htm