Sen. John Corona, said during a hearing, his mother is blind and renewed her license by mail.
Currently, only two states, Illinois and New Hampshire, require senior drivers to pass road tests. Although most states require basic eye exams, no state has an age limit on drivers.
According to drdriving.org, "experts say that most functions degrade at a rate of 5% to 10% for every ten years an adult ages." Whether they are as simple as a fender bender or as dangerous as fatalities, senior citizens age 65 and older are the second-most likley to die in car accidents, next to young people age 15-24. With the baby boomers beginning to retire, the estimation of 100,000 senior driving deaths between 2008 and 2028 does not seem too far off.
Because of the decreased reflexes, fexlibility, visual acuity, memory, and the ability to focus, elderly drivers are more likely to recieve citations for failing to yield, improper turns, and running red light and stop signs.
In 1999 there were over 18 million older licensed drivers. 171,000 of which were injured in traffic accidents. These same individuals made up 13% of all vehicle fatalities.
With all of these accidents and fatalities occuring there is good news. There are programs in all states and online to help seniors become educated on driving dangers as well as ways to help them increase their abilities. AARP offers a Drivers Safety Program, ITN America uses a community based approach to provide personalized rides to seniors who limit their driving or stop altogether. ITN volunteers from the local community and a small paid staff use their own or donated cars to bring member-riders to and from medical appointments, grocery shopping, work exercise and other local destinations. The American Automobile Association (AAA), AARP, and the National Safety Council offers refresher courses for seniors.
In conclusion, since reflexes, flexibility, visual acuity, memory and the ability to focus all decline with age, older people tend to become more susceptible to car accidents. Senior Citizens ages 70 and over should be required to retake their driving, written, and vision tests to annually maintain their drivers' licenses.
Experiences from USA Today
"Elizabeth Grimes, a 90 year old driver, and a widow who had lived on Meaders Lane for 50 years, had backed out of her driveway, across her lawn, and off the curb. Her 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis then hit the curb across the street, Prager recalls, before Grimes mistook the gas pedal for the brake and 'took off with a jackrabbit start'. Six blocks away Grimes drove through a red light. The car slammed into Katie Bolka, a 17 year old high school junior who was driving to school to take an algebra test. Five days later, Bolka died."
"George Russell Weller, then 86, killed 10 people and injured more than 70 when he drove his Buick LeSabre into a crowded farmers market in Santa Monica, California, on July 16,2003. His attorneys later explained the Weller had confused his car accelerator for the brake."
"Brian Fay, 19, was making change for a customer at a Sears store in Orlando in October 9 when he heard what he thought was a bomb. Fay looked toward the store entrance and saw a pane of glass shatter and fall to the floor. 'Then he looked down and saw a car barreling' toward him. Elizabeth Jane Baldick, 84, drove her car into the cash register counter Fay was using, knocking him over. Bleeding, he rushed to check on Baldick, whose car had come to rest against a concrete pillar. Her foot was still pressed firmly against the accelerator, the tires screeching against the tiles on the floor."
I definately agree that people over the age of 60 should be required to have an annual driving test and their vision tested. At age 65 written tests, and the rest still annually. You can see these 80-90 year olds reaction times and wonder how they've survived as long as they have.
I wonder if a compromise would be easier to for people to stomach. Add a written test at age 60, then a road test at age 65, by 70 renewals would be annual.
The statistics are fascinating, but it needs a bit more context. Just what percentage of drivers are 65 or older? 1% of drivers cause all that damage has more impact that 5%.
FOR SURE! Elderly people definitely need to take driving tests every year to make sure they are still able to drive safely. Hopefully they won't be offended by our proposition and just understand that it's not really
them, it's their
age and
everything that comes along with it.
I think you guys are completely right. You should have to take a mandatory driving test after 70. I have myself been almost hit because senior citizens just do not pay attention to thier surroundings or cannot keep up with the flow of traffic. Good job guys and very valide points.
I used to live in Florida and there were so many accidents caused by senior drivers. I really do think that strict annual testing is something that should be done. Way to go!
I definetly think senior citizens should be retested in order to keep their driving privledges. They are definetly a danger to the public and themselves in thier older age. This is sad, but it is also a fact of life.
Senior citizens should be required to test if not every year every other year. They either drive way to slow or way to fast. There is not a between for some of them.
My opinion on this is it all depends on the person whether they should have to test or have their driver's license taken away. Some people in their old age can still drive like they did when they where younger. Some accidents that happen doesn't always involve OLD people
I think that elderly people should have to take their driving test over at a certain age. There are so many accidents with elderly people involved and they say that they didn't see that car or that person. So it definately should be a requirement. Good Job Ladies!
There are so many accidents caused by elders and testing them could decrease the number of accidents. I totally agree with this!
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