Older drivers get one more for the road

Washington Times ^ | 1/02/04 | Joyce Howard Price

[kattracks]

The number of elderly drivers in the United States is climbing dramatically, and growing numbers of states are enacting special requirements designed to ensure the driving skills of older motorists are not impaired.

Yesterday in Florida, a state with one of the nation's largest senior populations, a new law took effect that requires drivers 80 and older to pass an eye test to renew their licenses, instead of simply renewing their licenses through the mail.

[Jeff Chandler]

I remember witnessing an elderly man taking the eye exam for his drivers license in Mesa, AZ once. He couldn't tell the letters from the numbers. They passed him.

[rusty millet]

I had the same experience. Saw interaction between the clerk and an elderly gentleman, who was looking through the testing machine, and calling out "8, 4, 10, 3..."

The clerk responded (in a loud voice, for he was also hard of hearing), "They are letters, sir".

I was glad I got out of there and on the road long before he left.

[SLB]

When you are 75+ I hope you feel the same way you do now. My dad gave up driving at 84 as he had congestive heart failure and was physically too weak to drive. My father-in-law kept driving after a stroke that left him with some serious vision problems, starting dementia and congestive heart failure which also left him to weak (frail) to drive. Kentucky does have a method of getting these drivers off of the road, as does every state, it just takes time to go through the process. He had to be physically and mentally evaluated by the family physician and the results sent to the licensing agency. His license was suspended and the family has to now put up with the constant complaining about not driving, this was 3 years ago and he is now 89.

The driving ability of the elderly is going to be a very serious issue when all of us boomers hit 75 or so.

[late bloomer]

"One more for the road" ??

Aw hell, I thought they were gonna let us have a couple more before we hit the road...

Can't smoke, can't drink, can't do nothin no more..
time to go !

[Redbob]

This Florida law oughta take about half the drivers off the road in Collier County!

[AIC]

I also witnessed an eye exam for a young adult. He could see the signs through the viewer but didn't know what they were called or what they meant, he just described what they looked like and they passed him.
When the older generation starts to not drive anymore, the way of traveling in the U.S. will change big time.
Like public transportation will have to increase, automobiles sales will be less, gas will increase because of loss tax revenue. Store sales will be less and loss taxes on those sales. Personal property tax will be loss from not having an auto, car sales tax loss, license tax loss. All of the associate revenue that go with having an automobile such as taxes, maintenance, parts, etc. will be loss. That's something to think about because it's coming.
That's one reason right now why gov. doesn't want to do anything about illegal immigrants because they don't want to loose the revenue and votes that they can bring later when the boomers are gone. Think about it, all of this will be starting in just ten (10) years from now.

[tob2]

Retesting everybody regardless of age at time of license renewal makes good sense to me. This retesting would not only be an eye test, but driving test, and written test. The privilege of driving should be reserved for those of ANY AGE who prove the ability to follow the rules and have the capability of handling a motor vehicle. Judging by what I see on the road, I don't know how some of these drivers are allowed to get licenses!

[KantianBurke]

Not practical. You think the wait at the DMV is bad now, just imagine if EVERYONE was given such a battery of tests! The most efficent and effective means of ensuring safe drivers is testing all teens and all elderly 70+. They cause the most accidents so the burden of proof should fall on them.

[Blue Screen of Death]

This Florida law oughta take about half the drivers off the road in Collier County!

I know, It will be great when all these old pharts are off the road and not tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, cutting off other drivers to make a freeway exit, getting sloshed on Friday night and driving the wrong way and killing nine children in a van.

[sweetliberty]

Seems a yearly road test without good reason (such as the driver being involved in more than one accident or having repeated traffic violations) is a bit burdensome. The eye test isn't a big deal. Every time I ever renewed my license in Colorado, an eye test was required, regardless of age.

[killjoy]

Like public transportation will have to increase

Why is this a bad thing? Having lived in places with and without, efficient public transportation is wonderful.

[AIC]

I did not say it would be a bad or good thing. All I said was that "Public transportation will change". Special needs will have to be address, new public transportation will have to be made and/or increased. More more money will be spent on these projects. Will it be a good thing or bad? I don't know. Again, it may not change at all, who knows.