Should Old People be Banned from Driving?
Back when I first started Automoblog.net, I wrote a post about the elderly and what restrictions should be placed on them regarding driving. Clearly this is an issue on the roads, and people had many opinions to share regarding the issue. I would like to revisit the post, and hear some more opinions regarding the matter.
In the time since that post was written, I’ve personally experienced more bad situations regarding the issue, and I’m sure many of my readers have as well.
Should elderly drivers be banned from driving? Many seem to think so. Motorinsurance.co.uk, an online insurance broker reported that 49% of drivers want elderly drivers banned. Paul Cosh is the managing director of MotorInsurance, and had a few comments on which I would like to comment:
“I do not think that picking on this nation’s most careful and experienced drivers is really the answer.
Yeah, my dad was awesome at football back in his day. He’s very experienced, that doesn’t mean he should still do it.
“To be honest, the views shown by this poll are quite shocking and simply do not stand up against the facts.
“Of course increased age brings its challenges, but healthy older drivers typically try to compensate for deficiencies. If anything, they also drive more carefully and avoiding risk-taking in general.
“To suggest that older drivers are a danger on the roads is a statistically unfounded stereotype and if anyone wants to debate the safety record of an 80 year-old compared with the average 20 year-old, my door is always open.”
The point is, I know for a fact that old people are a danger on the roads. I have seen many accidents (some involving people I know) that were caused by nothing but an incompetent old person not paying attention, and not having the reaction times necessary to avoid a potentially dangerous situation, making it worse.
Paul Cosh, who I quoted above is clearly an idiot, but banning old people from driving completely seems a little bit extreme. But what about people who can’t react in a timely manner, can’t make reasonable decisions, and can’t see or hear as well as other drivers? Allowing them on the road as freely as anybody else is as ridiculous as allowing drunk drivers on the road. I’ve been in one accident and have otherwise had very close situations in which I had to make fast decisions as to what to do, and only one has been from a drunk driver. The others from old people who didn’t know what they were doing, and I would be surprised if they knew where they were. Disclaimer: I do not have anything against old people, and I hate drunk drivers. I don’t want you to take the last paragraph the wrong way. I just have a problem with old people driving.
So back to the solution. What to do? Like I said above, banning them all from the road completely is extreme, but allowing them all to drive is ridiculous. I propose that beginning at age 65 (maybe 70,) the driver takes a strict driving test every year. Obviously this will keep the dangerous ones off the road, and the competent ones can still drive. A few states already implement something like this, like Rhode Island who requires drivers over 70 to renew their licenses every two years but take only the standard vision test. However, I think it should be more thorough. Illinois requires road tests for drivers over 75 who want to renew their licenses, while 15 other states have an accelerated renewal schedule. At least five states have stopped mail-in renewals for older drivers. But that’s obviously not enough.
What are your opinions on this? Do you think all people over a certain age should be banned, or do you think everybody should have the right to drive? What age should we start requiring testing, and how frequent should the testing be?
Filed Under: Car Opinions
They are human and under the human rights they are entitled to be allowed certain rights like the right to drive. It is wrong as one day everyone gets old and it isn't nice for them to be denied that right as it is some old peoples enjoyment to drive a car.
NO NO JUST NO OLD PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DRIVE BECZZ THEY ARE OLD AND RINKKKKEERRRRLLLEEEE !!! (SMELLY_)
you are well off mark, just cause people are older they have more experience than you. Dont stereotype and if what you say is true then you should offer help to someone not abuse their confidence you self obsessed cow!
Obvs you just feel sorry for yourself or relly up your own arce i mean come on katie price. Doubt you look like her tbh probably just an ugly wreck!
actually driving is a privilege not a right. you have the right to take the driving exam but not to drive. if you don't pass the test you don't get a license and cannot drive.
Plane and simple, if their reflexes are too slow to safely react to an emergency, they should not be allowed to drive. I work in a resturaunt and I see seniors who walk so unbelievably slow, and they run into stationary objects in the dining room… "If that were an oncoming car you'd be dead by now"
wow really good point dude
old peeps are sick they like granny sex
frigging weirdo, someone watches too much porn! Obviously not enough action at home!
i have just finished a bit of coursework about elderly people not being allowed to drive and this site really helped! thanks =) =]
some points are quite good actually. personally i dont think that they should be allowed to drive if they are a hazard, but if they have had several different tests then maybe they should if they are good enough. although everybody should still be retested every so often. but if they fail then i dont think i would let them back on the road if i was the one doing the driving tests on the old people. thanks guys >.
Well people over the age of 65-70 have a sloweer reaction to things and a different shade in their eyes with acts and a smalblind lens but doesn't make them blind completely but a disadvantage on the road. plus old people have the most record for damages and hitting people on the roads becuase of slow reactions and plus a couple of boy racers ages 17-25 have but they are new to the road is also has no link to old people though. I'm guissing if you're going to curse old people's driving get some facts before, but i still agree to ban people over the age of 70 from driving =)
Aaron your dred, old people can drive they drive better then your mum
Love you guys, have big feelings for you guys as long as you are 100% British not foreign..
I'm american. british people eat twinkies and are fat and bad at football.
My brother was killed 18 years ago by a 73 year old driver who had been behind the wheel of the car all day, had no rest, not even stopped and then fell asleep. He was that stupid he thought he had hit a cone and just kept on driving, leaving my brother to be hit by two other cars.
I have read articles over the years regarding old drivers, driving down the wrong side of the motorways, losing control of their car for no reason, crashing their car into houses, bus shelters, I could go on and on. Now I have just read a story about an old man, 89, who mounted a kerb and killed an 18 month old baby and critically injured the baby's mother.
I feel that once you get to a certain age you should have certain tests, eyes, awareness, co-ordination and definitely another driving test. I am sure that if this was brought into effect there would be many people who would be saved, not families left mourning their loved ones all because someone who never had to pass a test is still in charge of a car.
Get them off the roads.
tell me what the difference between driving under the influence of non prescription drugs to driving with a cocktail of presciption drugs ( which clearly state on the packet not to drive ) is??? I drive for a living and can personally say have never had a near miss with a p plater who apparently is the main culpret of deaths on our roads, but not a day goes by when i need to make a split second decision because some competely oblivious old person behind the wheel of their camry has stopped in the middle of the road to give way to…..nobody!! it's been to long since they obtained their licence and rules have changed etc. i have seen one turn right ONTO a two lane roundabout??? WTF. something needs to be done!! they are not only endangering themselves but others too and are MOSTLY to stubborn to realise it and give up something they have been doing for years. i say bring on DRUG and driving tests for oldies and lets find out what sort of state of mind they are in when driving!!! nearly every prescription drug you can get causes drowsiness and they pop 10 a day for various conditions. at least when i'm sick i stay home in bed, not putting peoples lives in danger! wanna stay mobile??? get a mobility scooter and stay off the road!!!
HAHA!, YOU HILLARIOUS!
I just think that these old people need to RETAKE THEIR DRIVERS TEST, OR GET OFF THE DANG ROAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bet they wouldn't find it
ya but you did
Think not. Couldn't find your brain neither.
fuck all yall british bitches
Very mature Billy – get off this site if you have nothing of importance to say, which you obviously don’t. Keep your foul mouth to yourself.
i completely agree and my dad was working down the road from an accident where an 80 something year old lady hit a mother and her baby in a stroller, killed the mother, and injured the baby. this happened in toronto
Oh dear, I see some irresponsible parent has been letting their child play on the computer. I think it's time for bed and let the grown ups interact with other grown ups.
they should be buried alive
Old drivers need to be tested and if they fail have their license removed. My Grandma stumbles around on a clear floor, cant remember anyone’s name, drives 20ish mph no matter the speed limit of the road/highway, lacks all types of hand eye coordination, and is on a cocktail of medication that does only god knows. Yet she gets offended if someone talks to her about giving up her license. She is a danger to those on the road and around the road, and peoples property. But she and other older people don’t see it that way, this is a situation where younger people need to make a decision for their elders.
Old people (those 65+) should only be allowed to drive a car with a standard transmission. NO more "confusing" the gas and brake pedals — car will stall if they lack the coordination to properly drive. Damned if I want to be getting my Big Gulp when some senile grandma crashes her le Baron through the window of the 7-11 'cause she thought she was hitting the brake and really was flooring it.
Amen! That's a great idea
WHAT I THINK HE IS RIGHT BUT I THINK ONCE THEY FAILED PASSING THE TEST THEIR LICSENCE SHOULD BE TAKEN AWAY THAT WAY WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE OLD CAN NOT DRIVE SHOULD BE OUT OF THE STREETS. I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT I RECOVER WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL JUST BECAUSE A VERYOLD PERSON COULD NOT SEE WHERE HE WAS DRIVING. ^_^
This is a disgrace! I drove jeeps in japan back in 45, dont tell me im not good enough to drive!
I think that seriously, its not a case of us not being fair towards old people, its a matter of safety. Just the same as very young or very old people cant ride certain amusement park rides, or cat participate in certain activities such as firefighting or police patrol work. There comes a time when political correctness needs to come second to being safe. Besides causing millions of dollars due to insurance claims, the truth is many people that otherwise would be alive today are dead at the hands of an old person. This, in my opinion, is a preventable disease that can be treated and cured with mandates for specific tests once a person reaches a certain age.
I think that seriously, its not a case of us not being fair towards old people, its a matter of safety. Just the same as very young or very old people cant ride certain amusement park rides, or cat participate in certain activities such as firefighting or police patrol work. There comes a time when political correctness needs to come second to being safe. Besides causing millions of dollars due to insurance claims, the truth is many people that otherwise would be alive today are dead at the hands of an old person. This, in my opinion, is a preventable disease that can be treated and cured with mandates for specific tests once a person reaches a certain age.
y is there a sight 4 this thats just weird
Haha o found this pic online and sent it to my bff