Over 70s driving tests

[iCraig]

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

I couldn't see any frail person, regardless of age having a good chance in that situation and I doubt that either of us could be certain to handle it.

Well people who are so frail that they don't have proper control of a vehicle, shouldn't have a license. Whether you're too old, or you're physically handicapped in a way where your strength is very much degraded. It's not prejudiced, it's common sense. You don't put a lump of metal weighing several tons, at 70mph in the control of somebody, who if challenged beyond the normal realms of control, will lose control and risk lives. Where a person with normal strength would cope? Yes I've had a blowout, with my first car. It wasn't very nice and it does make you think that the world is ending for those few seconds. I can also appreciate others sentiment about the fact older people may struggle. It doesn't require constantly applied pressure to the steering wheel to keep the car relatively steady.

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

Also, blow-outs aren't on the driving test curriculum.

So? Does that mean it doesn't matter? They happen. Drivers should be at least physically capable of dealing with them. I'm not saying drivers should be ready to dodge debris from a tornado, but a tyre blowing isn't exactly a freak of nature event for our roads is it? For what it's worth I think the cirriculum should extend to motorway driving. It's a significant portion of typical driving, and you should be tested on your ability to use them.

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

I don't think age is the predictor of whether a person will be more likely to be unsuitable for driving, I think overall mental and physical health is

... urm, which typically decline with age.

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

- and no-one have managed to argue the case without the assumption that old people just get crap at everything eventually (right guys?).

So you think old people stay just as mentally and physically competenant as the youngsters? I'm not saying when you hit 65, *bam* you're an invalid, but it's just simple biology. Your hearing typically begins to fail, eyesight, reaction time, decision making it all begins to decline with age. Along with physical strength. They need aids to help them walk straight. If they fall, they need help getting up. Yet some of these people are still trusted with a car. The retests would weed these out. In the cases where the person has aged well, and is still safe to drive, well then the retest will recognise that and their license is kept. Obviously, the retest in question would need to engineered carefully to respect the person's original license as much as possible. Perhaps testing on things that nerves don't have such a stranglehold over. It would be difficult though, just because an old man is terrified he's going to lose his license has a really crap test due to nerves, and not neccessarily incompetance, doesn't mean his license should be revoked.

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

Also, suggesting age is a valid criteria for re-test would be a departure from other policies of the DVLA, most of which expect self-reporting - eyesight, disability etc. etc.

Why do you think they currently rely on humility of the driver to hold their hand up and admit they can't safely drive anymore? The DVLA sure as hell don't rely on us to keep on top of our tax discs. Otherwise they wouldn't send out ANPR vans checking up on us all would they? It's because in the current system they don't have the ability to call drivers back and keep on top of their health on a case by case basis. For whatever reason. Whether it's legislation/law they need, or a more efficient system to cope with the torrent of retest applicants that would flood into their test centres all over the country.