Over 70s driving tests

[Tak]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/7872724.stm

"We believe that every driver over the age of 70 should have to sit a hazard perception test and medical, to prove their competence to drive on our roads."

To be honest I am surprised something like this isn't already in force.
Whilst I know of some elderly people who are still able to drive, I have seen visitors here at work who look so ill/unsteady/absent minded they could be admitted themselves and then they totter off and get in a car.

[Burble]

I'm all for it. Whilst I'm sure there are plenty of > 70's that are safe to be on the road there are a hell of a lot that should not be behind the wheel.

[Mark]

My Grandfather was driving into his late 60s/early 70s, but he recognised when it was time to hang up the keys (mainly due to hip problems) and stopped. A lot of older people don't and just keep on going until something stops them - all too often an accident.

[Fayshun]

My mum banned my dad (82 this year) from driving about 9 years ago after he had a TIA which knackered one of his legs a bit.

He did say years ago that he would pack up driving when he thought he was too old

[cleanbluesky]

Luckily policy on the matter isnt decided on the whims of the prejudiced - a person can make driving errors at any age.

[Mark]

It isn't about prejudice, it's about common sense.

It's a fact that accidents are more likely in two circumstances - (a) new, inexperienced, drivers (already covered by legislation), and (b) older drivers lack of concentration/ability.

[cleanbluesky]

Originally Posted by Mark

It isn't about prejudice, it's about common sense.

It's a fact that accidents are more likely in two circumstances - (a) new, inexperienced, drivers (already covered by legislation), and (b) older drivers lack of concentration/ability.

Failure to provide evidence for a claim can easily be mistaken for prejudice. There are increased accidents for older drivers although this is no certain correlation that this is due to a lack of driving ability, particularly given that older people are also more likely to get injured in car accidents that were not their fault.

I think that medically, older people are more likely to suffer from disabilities which may limit their ability to drive and that the duty of ensuring a person is fit to drive should fall upon a doctor.

[Mark]

Mental ability and concentration levels decline with age. That's (I hope) indisputable. It's not hard to work out how both of those would impact on driving ability.

[cleanbluesky]

Originally Posted by Mark

Mental ability and concentration levels decline with age. That's (I hope) indisputable. It's not hard to work out how both of those would impact on driving ability.

That's a blanket statistic based on averages, and given the importance that mobility can play in an older individual's life and the potetial cost of immobile older adults I think it would be much cheaper and fairer to judge people on an individual basis rather than automatically label them as typical of an age group.

[Tak]

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

I think it would be much cheaper and fairer to judge people on an individual basis

Surely that is what a test like this would do though? It isn't saying "you're too old, you can't drive", its a way of judging on an individual basis whether the person is safe enough behind the wheel.

Considering the way most people drive, I'm all for mandatory retests every 5-10 years anyway