Age limit for Drivers license?

[binny]

I really don't want to turn this into a debate but I am wondering how people feel about this.

Personally I am of the opinion that people should be required to have a medical check if there is a concern, either from a family member or a traffic incident. That age alone should not be a factor. I don't think that we can make a sweeping judgement of everyones abilities just because they have reached a certain age. A friend of mine thinks everyone over a certain age should have to give up their license.

Now the reasoning behind this. My cousins Grandpa just went to the Dr for his License check. The Dr just laughed and said "I can find no reason to take his license away. He is not declining in any way shape or form" He did caution against Grandpa driving at night which he doesn't do anyway as he isn't confident about it. He hasn't had an accident and has passed whatever test they asked of him. He has all of his faculties and is in great shape.

The kicker? Grandpa will be 102 in April.

 

[PrincessCLM]

I know from work that anyone who has had a brain injury of any type, TIA included and even if there's no deficits, automatically can have their license taken away. It's up to the MD's to enforce though usually.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I think that after age 65, your doctor should have to sign off on your ability to drive safely every year. Other than that, there should be no age restricitions. If you are safe to drive, you have the same rights to the roadways as a younger person.

I hope that I am wise enough to stop driving when I become a hazard to others - at whatever age that might be...

 

[Cool-Beans]

I can't believe the way they just hand those things out. My mother is legally blind and can't even see the big highway signs until she's right on top of them - which gives her no time to read them, but that's another story.

She won't drive at night or on "unfamiliar roads" because she knows she'll crash. But she's fine with driving to the grocery store and whatnot.

We were all sure that the BMV would finally take her license on her last birthday - but no! Gave her another. One of these days, she's going to kill someone. I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised. I won't ride with her and won't let the kids, either.

People get all worked up about drunk drivers. At least drunk drivers have the "I was drunk and didn't know what I was doing" excuse.

Nobody cares about the blind hopping behind the wheel. It's crazy.

 

[tazdev3225]

102 and driving, that is amazing. I don't know if people should be tested at a certain age because I know people in their 80's that are driving and have no problems. I do however think that MD's or families should be a little more vigilant about their elderly loved ones. We took my MIL's car from her when it became apparent she shouldn't drive. My DD has a neighbor who should not be driving. I actually take my grandkids in the house because he scares me when he drives. He only has to walk less than 10 feet from his car to his door and it takes him 20 minutes. I would turn him in if I could but is her landlord's father and I don't know who to call anyway. I will do it to my own parents if the need arises as they get older.

 

[Lib E]

I don't think their should be an age limit, but there are medical conditions that should be taken into consideration.

I work with diabetic/insulin dependent patients. I plead with them to test their blood EVERY time they get behind the wheel. There are too many accidents caused by low blood sugar episodes. I would hate to see diabetics lose the right to drive, but it's scary. So many are not in good control of their blood sugars. I have to say that drivers with epilepsy scare me too. I'm just not sure the rights should outweigh the risks.

 

[binny]

I wanted to add that my Aunt has been vigilant about taking him in every year for this check up and he is willing to give up *IF* he ever feels threatened or is told that he cant. He is as sharp as a tack and has more sense than most people half his age.

Seriously this man is going to outlive us all! He has NO health problems whatsoever.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

My mother, who lives in New York City, finally got rid of her car and stopped driving last year right around her 94th birthday. But she had stopped driving at night at least six or seven years ago.

Of course she still has her license.

 

[kirbsam]

what about a young age limit. i think 10.

 

[Cool-Beans]

102 and driving, that is amazing. I don't know if people should be tested at a certain age because I know people in their 80's that are driving and have no problems. I do however think that MD's or families should be a little more vigilant about their elderly loved ones. We took my MIL's car from her when it became apparent she shouldn't drive. My DD has a neighbor who should not be driving. I actually take my grandkids in the house because he scares me when he drives. He only has to walk less than 10 feet from his car to his door and it takes him 20 minutes. I would turn him in if I could but is her landlord's father and I don't know who to call anyway. I will do it to my own parents if the need arises as they get older.

How would you recommend going about "taking away" someone's car if they don't wish to give it up and are legally allowed to drive it?

I've tried talk, begging and guilt. None of that works.

Totally open to suggestions, though!

 

[mjkacmom]

I've seen SO many seniors here who shouldn't be behind the wheel, based on their driving. It can be very difficult to convince an aging parent that they should no longer drive. I think that, after a certain age, they should be tested.

 

[wall*e2008]

Age should not be a factor. Drivers tests should be given every few years after the age of 65. Passing or failing should be the factor with keeping a license. I would also like to see a drivers test to be retaken every 20 years. Just because you passed at 16 does not mean you are good driver at 36, 56 or 76.

 

[pyrxtc]

Why is evryone saying 65 ?? I think that is still very young to ahve to worry about passing a physical exam to pass a driving test ?

I really think it shoulnd't be about age. My MIL is only in her ealry 50's and should have stopped driving quite a few years ago. She tries really hard not to drive at night and occasionaly she has my SDD in the car and SDD gets scared wiht her driving. MIL has even backed up and off ramp to get on the highway. Very Scary to think about that !! She had SDD in the car with her !!

MIL talks about how she can't wait until SDD is old enough to drive so she doesn't have to drive anymore except for going back and forth to work.

 

[agnes!]

The glare of oncoming headlights during night-driving is one of the things that led me to have the ophthalmologist check out my eyes in December. I found out I have early-onset cataracts that are progressing rapidly and have surgeries scheduled over the next month.

Those of you who have relatives with vision-issues might want to check to see if they have had refractions and exams that would diagnose cataracts. Cataracts can be fairly easily fixed with some of the most routine surgeries (yeah, it is VERY scary because it's my eyes but the success rate is apparently even better than Lasix).

For the record, I am only 51.

agnes!

 

[lovemygoofy]

How would you recommend going about "taking away" someone's car if they don't wish to give it up and are legally allowed to drive it?

I've tried talk, begging and guilt. None of that works.

Totally open to suggestions, though!

Beans, does your mother have a senior citizen center near here? Here every quarter the police do a senior driving thing with stats and testing and recommendations. That might be less painful than a confrontation.

My grandpa would not stop driving in his 70s until the confrontation. He could not see two feet(think Mr. Magoo windshield blind) in front of him and had bad shaking problems but the DMV still passed him. My mom and her siblings had the "intervention" and took the keys, the car, and cut up his licenese.
They used the arguement about killing someone else with slow reaction skills even if he didn't value his life enough he had to think about others. They also had an article where another senior citizen had a car accident where a child was killed. The senior citizen ran into their own child's car in the back door where the grandchild was sitting.(This was year's ago)

Of course in a trade for his car and keys, he was allowed a driver anytime anywhere. Oh yeah, it was me. It's like driving Mr. Daisy. I drove him all over to see his cronies and old people family and anywhere else he wanted. I wouldn't have traded for the world now.

 

[Mellie2162]

How would you recommend going about "taking away" someone's car if they don't wish to give it up and are legally allowed to drive it?

I've tried talk, begging and guilt. None of that works.

Totally open to suggestions, though!

Its hard to do. My FIL needed his taken away for quite a while and DH and I argued over this all the time. I felt since it was his father he needed to do it and he refused saying that he didn't want it done to him when his time came. Finally FIL hit a road sign and busted his windshield. When we asked him how it happened he then said to us maybe I better not drive anymore and he hung his keys up and never touched them again. I really wanted DH to take them away sooner, but he didn't want to.

I don't think you will ever be able to convince someone they aren't well enough to drive, they have to come to that conclusion on their own. I only hope when im not too sharp I will let my kids take mine away.

 

[Mellie2162]

I just thought I would add this. Right before Christmas my DD bus driver's son was killed in a head on collision due to an elderly man coming on the wrong side of the highway from an off exit ramp. Her son had his daughter in the truck with him. Apparently he leaned over to shield her and she survived but he didn't. Apparently the man got confused and thought it was a ramp to get on the highway but it was the ramp to get off. I know Im not wording this to make sense. I have no idea what the man's age was except it was reported that he was elderly.

 

[binny]

Mellie, that is horrible. I know that "elderly" is a broad range. I wonder if there was more going on than what was reported.

I am all for testing but I believe it should be about ability and if there is any question about that ability then its time to test.

 

[corndog]

Some day Governor Reagan will run for President.

/obscure reference?

 

[daisax]

Seems like the best option is to have to retake a driving test every 10 years under 65, then again at 70, then every two years. And you can make it free for the people over 70.

Everybody will be safer out on the road and fewer people will have to have those difficult conversations.