Driver's License and Old Age

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.

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

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

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

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...

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!

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

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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."

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.

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.

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.

A lot of good discussions. I like the idea of annual testing but it can't be more stringent as that would have red flags all over it with anti-discrimination laws. That also means DMV lines are going to get longer. Nice! Politicians wouldn't touch this though because old folks tend to vote more. I love the way they do driving test in Europe. My cousin lives in Holland and his driving test lasted like 4 hours back in the day; 4 hours!

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While there are examples of older drivers that are past it, I have to note my cars have all be hit by young drivers. I say ban people under 30 from driving and one time with a cell phone is a ban for life!

Currently going through this with my 82 yr Father. He has always been an excellent driver but lately the effects of diabetes and age are becoming dangerous. He got into a minor fender bender and Police report caused him to lose his license. Trying to get his licence back he failed to pass the written test. He is studying for it now to retake in a couple weeks. I'm sympathetic to his very real depression resulting from loss of mobility but am possibly more sympathetic to possible risk to himself and others on the road. Yes mandatory yearly renewal tests past 75 years and/or with medical issues. That said the CA DMV is really busy and getting appointments is difficult.

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But...how would people send text messages, drink their coffee, and apply makeup if they had to shift with one hand? I'd be good with a requirement to be able to drive a stick - not because it's a necessary skill any longer, but because it would prevent some idiots from getting a license...

I also think requiring people between 16-20 to retake the written and practical driving tests might not be a terrible idea, since younger people are far more likely to cause an accident than old people. Drivers under 30 are more than 4x more likely to kill a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist than drivers 70 and older. Drivers under 30 are almost 6x more likely to cause the death of a passenger in their car compared to drivers 70+. Drivers under 30 are twice as likely to cause their own death in a traffic accident compared to drivers 70 and above. While the old folks can be scary as hell, they also tend to drive more slowly, and they are very unlikely to drive under the influence. The 16-30 year olds are responsible for a whole lot of carnage.

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I think it's all the technology and other distractions we have to be more concerned with over drunk driving these days. These days, it's safer to call roadside emergency rather than changing your own tire on the side of the road, sadly...

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Couldn't agree more. So much more drinking, smoking pot, and other drugs by the young generation these days. And let's not forget distracted drivers.

I would like to see the ''keep right except to pass'' rule enforced.. regarding poor driving regardless of age - police can issue a citation to retest for driver license... two rules that should be enforced !

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They may not have as many accidents but these stats don't account for how many accidents they've caused!! For example the hot blooded 20 year that is stuck behind some dawdling old codger for 10-15 miles then makes a poor choice on a pass out of frustration... just sayin!!

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Truth in this. Speed differential as a cause of accidents.

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This is one of the reasons I've decided not to take Pacific Coast Highway up to San Francisco ever again. I lose my patience with these retirees that get in front of you in a single lane highway and don't understand the concept of the many "turn outs" they keep passing by. In the mean time there is a 15-car pile up behind them.

The correct age for re-test should be retirement age. That is 65years of age. This should include the color blindness eye sight test, hearing, reaction time brake test, plus the normal driving test for a stick shift car. ie reversing via the rear view mirrors, 3 point turning, Mirror signal (brake when needed) maneuver before moving from a straight coarse. Those kind of things. Maybe a strong question and answer part would be in order to ascertain if the driver still has all his marbles in tact. I think this should be done every year.

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And then... I'm not sure I'm following. Are you suggesting that they should be retested every year, starting at 65?

I agree with retesting every year once a certain age is reached. What that age should be , I'll leave to the experts. Along with the above , I've always felt that classes in driving etiquette and common sense driving should be a requirement. Each and every driver ,regardless of age should be required to take said classes , and it should be part of the drivers test. Sorry to rant , but that's my own personal pet peeve against a vast portion of drivers I see on the road. No consideration for other motorists. Alan

Just want to clarify that I'm sure anyone that's over 65 and is a regular on this form and owns a 996 probably doesn't fall in the category of the discussions above. I'm sure you'll pass your driving test with flying colors.

Two things: what does being able to drive a manual transmission have to do with anything? Most cars today are automatics of some sort. #2, at 65? Really? I would agree with 70 or 75, but certainly not 65. Full disclosure, I am 65, a CDI, and still do de events. #3, ok, I lied, but I would be certainly be more concerned with drivers' physical limitations at any age. Let remember, a dl is a privilege, not a right.

I'M 73 and drive a Kenworth with a trailer in the city every day. I got a couple of V8 powered bikes that each have 400 HP that I ride all the time. I have to pass a physical every two years as a requirement to keep my commercial license, my blood pressure has to be lower than a commercial pilots which seems unbelievable but true. In any case I think anybody over the age of 60 should have to take the same medical. The medical is as important as a driving test and would eliminate those who are about to have a stroke or heart attack or who can't understand what the hell is going on around them. If a person 60 or over gets a moving violation then another driving test should be required before a license can be renewed. My most radical opinion of how to have safe highways no matter what the age of the driver is as follows. When I was young people realized that the DRIVERS were the problem not the cars. Today all cars have air bags, seat belts, impact bumpers, turn signals, abs braking, rear view mirrors, padded dash, collapsible steering wheels, etc. The early cars didn't have this stuff. The drivers were expected to pay attention wether they were old or young. Since over time it was realized that the drivers were becoming used to better brakes and power steering and automatic transmissions and great sound systems driving was becoming very relaxed. Now the cars all look alike and are very safe but the drivers are even less attentive. Its almost impossible to drive for a whole week without seeing an accident, even a day is getting rare. Here is my idea to make the highways safe once more. I suggest that every car be equipped with a razor sharp RHINO HORN that extends from the horn button to about 3 inches from the drivers chest, the tip of the RHINO HORN would be dipped in Cuarie, a poison that is placed on the tips of arrows when the tribes hunted in Africa. If the poison coated nicks the drivers skin he will die almost instantly. As the number of bad drivers are eliminated from the highways they will become safe again and the manufactures will be able to have chrome bumpers and any design they want and the cars will once again look great and will be different from each other. Motorcylists who have had to put up with lousy drivers for decades will start to live longer. Just another idea from a guy most consider crazy but one that would work. I don't expect anybody will take this to seriously but its fun to think about.

65 is the retirement age from working. That's the time a guy is eligible for Old Age Pension and the Government made that decision. Seems like common sense that 65 should be the same age for re testing drivers. If you are too old to work safely, you are too old to drive safely. So the Governments say. So let the Government do the re testing on a yearly basis. Makes sense to me. I have no fear that I would pass my re test and would be more than willing to take any test that the Government cares to sling my way. What say you other drivers over 65 years of age. Women should be re tested from 60 yrs onward.. I mean I have great difficulty holding my hand still as I put my lip stick on when looking in my rear view mirror hahaha.

Social Security is currently optimized for retirees who begin taking benefits at 70. 65 is no longer the "official" retirement age... http://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/delayret.html You can start drawing benefits as early as 62, but you really burn a lot of your cat food and boxed wine money if you start benefits too early. I'm not certain about the age at which lipstick becomes difficult to apply, so I'll defer to your knowledge on that matter.

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And that's the fault of the older driver? Oh please.

Agreed. That 20 year old does not have the maturity to be driving . Perfect example of why he shouldnt have a drivers license. Alan

http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Right-Except-to-Pass

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Of course it isn't his fault but it's at the route cause of the issue!!

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I will be turning 70 on my next birthday and people still complain about my driving . I have been driving performance vehicles all my adult life and have continued to scare the **** out of people up until the present . That is just my style of driving. However, my grand daughter complained last year that I was driving too fast and I looked at the speedo and she was right. I've slowed down considerably with the 996 not only because it is slower than my 928 S4, but I like to think I am more responsible . There is that DAMN word again, RESPONSIBLE

when I become a danger to other road users, I will stop driving. ...perhaps I should've stopped 40 years ago

Re: an other poster, since when does one become" dangerous to work" at 65 ? I call MAJOR BS! As a retired electrical contractor, I've been exposed to voltages up to approx. 15kv for years. I've was in trade for 35 years and obviously survived so far. I think because some have been exposed to a few bad " elderly" drivers, they want to lump all of us into this so called dangerous group. Think before you press that " enter" button.

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Had an uncle who had been a lifetime "beat cop" who ended up being legally blind yet still drove. In his state a vision test was required for driver license renewal and yes "his friends" made sure he passed the test. He and my aunt took objection to any of us who suggested he shouldn't be driving. He didn't stop until he drove his car through the brick wall of his garage. My Mother still laments that we sold her car. When she was 80 years old my wife and I decided that it was no longer safe for her to drive. Her position was that she had been driving since I was born (1955) and she never had a ticket, an accident, or was ever stopped by the police. But she drove a maximum of 15 MPH and when drivers behind her would blow their horn she had this great response of "blow it out your *ss, I'm not going to get a speeding ticket". Whenever she complains about not having her car we just tell her that we are happy that she is till here to complain about it. In the case of older drivers, I'd rather see common sense prevail be it on the part of the driver or family members to intervene. I have a bigger issue with smart phones in the hands of dumb people behind the wheel - but that just leads me to a rant and rave session.............