Should drivers need to take a driving test after reaching "x" years old?

[Mermaid02]

Mermaid, it may be a "that's what they are paid to do, so do it" mentality. Laziness at it's finest.

Probably some of it is. Then you see the people shuffling up the hall (like dh's Nana) who can't even lift their feet when they walk. Makes me wonder what their reflexes are like.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I see nothing wrong with retesting. Just today I saw a person run a stop sign.

 

[poohandwendy]

The reason I think retesting should happen only after a certain age is that retesting all ages is not going to weed out inconsiderate or annoying drivers, so it wouldn't really help with those types of problems. The guy on the cel phone, the jerk that cut you off...they are going to have no problem passing a drivers test with a police officer sitting next to them. It just seems to be a waste of time and resources.

The drivers who are most likely to have lost the ability to make quick decisions and react appropriately, those are the ones I think should be tested.

I don't know how many times I have seen somene post that they know an older driver who should not be on the road, due to the above reasons, but they just do not know how to get them off the road. Family members often do not know how to deal with it, or don't want to deal with it. Testing the elderly would take the burden of taking the keys away from family members, who may or may not be objective enough to make that call or unable to get the message across to 'dear Aunt Bessie'.

 

[damo]

Here in Ontario, once you turn 80 you need to do several things to keep your driver's license. First you must attend a small group instruction session for about 3 hours. During that session, the you must pass a knowledge test. If the instructor feels that you might be a dangerous driver, you must take an in-car test as well.

This procedure is repeated every two years.

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

I see no problem with periodic (every 5 or 10 years maybe) requiring a refresher class and driving test. I have a 16 yr old who is just about ready to take the test, and over the last 6 months of teaching him, I've been reminded of things and been called on my own driving BY MY SON in the car with me.

Let's face it, any skill that you use over time may become sloppy, and who couldn't use a refresher on rules of the road, etc. Add to that the comments others have made about our reflexes diminishing as we get older, and there seems to be a need for some sort of review of our driving.

As it stands now, you get your license at 16, and the only time any legal attention is paid to your driving habits is if you have an accident, DUI, etc.

 

[mickeyfan2]

One year I went to my Dr.'s flu clinic. There was an elderly couple already trying to fill out the form. Neither could read it. The husband said it was too hard to see. The lighting was fine and the form was not small. I helped them after filling out mine. When I asked the wife for her birthday she said "Ummm.... January" Ok what day "Ummmm... 1st". Ok what year "Ummmmm....20". I finished it and got my shot. They drove over. I wanted to be on the road before they were. The nurse giving me the shot saw it all and was concerned too.

 

[plutolovr]

I'm just wondering, a couple mentioned here that they are related to someone who should not be driving and don't know what to do. TAKE THE KEYS AWAY! SELL THE CAR! TAKE AWAY THEIR LICENSE! That's it. I know it's not easy, but if they kill someone or themselves you may live with the guilt that you could have stopped it. My husband's family had to do this with both his parents. It's not easy, and they resented it at first, but it was the right thing to do.

 

[drakethib]

I think everyone should be required to take a test at every DL renewal.

 

[lillygator]

Absolutely.......the snow birds driving here is horrendous! Not to say there aren't other bad drivers out there during the year but when "season" hits - the roads are terrible....

 

[Chicago526]

I've got no problem with it, and I think some states DO require seniors to takes tests every couple of years already. My father's driving skills have decreased with his illness, and I've told my mother that when the time comes, she needs to get him to give up driving, and if she can't, then my brothers and I will talk to him about it. It's not worth his life, her life, or the lives of others on the road if his driving gets to the point where he is a danger. Not to mention the lawsuits, it could wipe out their retirement savings, and then what?

 

[poohandwendy]

I think everyone should be required to take a test at every DL renewal.

You do realize that is impossible because we do not have the resources to re-test every driver at every renewal? There are already lines at drivers centers just to get your picture re-taken, there is no feasible way we could retest every driver every few years.

 

[lovetheparks]

I do think they should be tested once they reach a certain age, if for nothing else than their own safety.

I also however, have sympathy for the ones that don't have anyone to drive them otherwise. It's a double edge sword.

 

[WDWMom]

I too think everyone should be collectively tested every X amount of years. Not just tested, there should be a class we should all go to. There are a ton of idiot drivers out there who need to be reminded to use turn signals (they are there for a reason), stop at stop signs, and my all time person favorite - Who goes first at a four way stop.

Driving is a privelege, not a right.

 

[froglady]

My personal favorite is right turn on red. The rule is that you can go IF there is no traffic, NOT if you think you can zip in between cars. And, you don't HAVE to turn if you don't want to.

 

[RC Fan]

Drivers of all ages can and will make the occasional(hopefully minor)driving mistakes. However, I am most concerned about those whose reflexes, vision, confidence, and overall physical condition make them a danger on the road at all times! For this reason I believe people over 60 should be stringently tested!

 

[cardaway]

I think it would be solved if people who were in accident where they were at fault had to be re-tested to get their license back. Everybody, any age.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I think it would be solved if people who were in accident where they were at fault had to be re-tested to get their license back. Everybody, any age.

But sometimes accidents do happen. Even though a person is a safe driver, doesn't mean they can't slip up once in awhile. We have a rule of 3 tickets and you lose your license and have to be tested to get it back. This includes accidents that are you fault (b/c you'd get a ticket for that). I think it would overwhelm the system to have people being tested for one accident and it would definitely overwhelm the system to have people being tested every X number of years. There just isn't the resources. We have to wait at least an hour now to get our license renewed. It would totally clog things up if everyone was out there getting retested.

DH is a terrible driver-doesn't know what to do at a 4-way stop, rarely signals, pulls out in front of people etc. He knows he should, but just doesn't. During a driver's test, I know he'd pass with flying colors b/c he'd be on his best behavior. Testing people doesn't necessarily mean they're going to use courtesy while driving or be better drivers. People probably know the rules, they just ignore them like DH.

Drivers of all ages can and will make the occasional(hopefully minor)driving mistakes. However, I am most concerned about those whose reflexes, vision, confidence, and overall physical condition make them a danger on the road at all times! For this reason I believe people over 60 should be stringently tested!

I totally agree with this. My dad gave up driving (never that good of a driver anyway). He's 71 and just didn't feel safe anymore. I was proud of him. My grandma is 82, nearly blind and still driving. We can do a thing about it, except hope she doesn't kill anyone and hope she doesn't pass her eye exam next time she goes to renew. We can't take her keys, license or anything. We have no authority and her doctor won't do anything either. She claims she's fine, but she's a menace. My husband's grandfather caused numerous wrecks before he was killed last year in an accident (his fault). Yeah, people over a certain age need to be tested. One thing I think people tend to forget, is driving is a privlege-it's not a right.

 

[GoofyDad869]

For those who have a problem with how to pay for the bureaucracy - let the insurance companies pay for it. I'm sure they have actuarial studies done to the Nth degree for every roadway in the U.S. with statistics broken down based on ages, fault, road conditions at time of accidents, etc. It's not as though they don't have an interest in the matter. We're already paying for some degree of this through our insurance rates, anyway.

Seriously, here in TN (as LindsayDunn said earlier in this thread) any fool can get a license in this state. Proof of minimal insurance is required for licensure. A lot of people on 'minimal' insurance will drop it at their first convenience to "save" themselves money. Uninsured motorist collisions are big bucks in this state (I'm sure it ain't a problem in TN only). Vehicle inspection does not happen in this state, emissions or otherwise. I wish there was vehicle testing. I've seen junked-up cars traveling at the posted speed limit that are potentially way more dangerous than well-maintained, newer models exceeding the speed limit.

Over time, with the insurance industry riding herd over licensure, I think rates overall would drop. That's just my opinion, and we're talking about huge money pockets AND an industry that hasn't got a great track record on being responsible. Anyway, you'd be weeding out the marginal drivers, and with vehicle inspections you'd be weeding out the marginal vehicles as well. With 'better' drivers, I think your instances of road rage incidents and accidents would decrease as well, over time.

Driving IS a privilege - if it were a right why would we need a license to do it? I think we really need to change the impression that driving is a right, in this country.

 

[PaulaSue]

I sure wish they would make the older people retest.

My elderly neighbor hit me (in the minvan with 2 of my DDs) almost a year ago. He was driving on the wrong size of the road coming down a hill in our development.

We have the same inisurance company and even they didn't seem to care that he was on the wrong size of the road. He got a ticket and I got my minvan fixed. Thankfully my car was much better than his. Way to go minvans!

He got his car fixed sooner but ended up gettinig another car soon after. I wonder if he had another accident? HE is in his 60s.

The worse part is I live RIGHT next door to him and I have to see him everyday. I still cringe seeing him drive. My older girls know to hide near the house while he is pulling in our out and they will call for Ash. (our cars are parked right beside each other)

 

[jbdreamer]

Both my great-grandmothers had their licences taken away.

One hit a mail box an complained that they put it too far out into the road.

The other mixed up the gears. Instead of going in reverse - she went staight into a plate glass window at Piggly Wiggly. Thank god no one was hurt! She never drove after that.

I am all for regular driving exams.