posted on July 19, 2003 08:27:37 AM newSometimes poor reaction times, failing eyesight and cognitive dysfunction are conditions not apparent to the aging individual
Helen, neither are they apparent to a drunk driver... there is no difference between the 2, they both made a choice to drive when they shouldn't have.
If you are saying that the DMV needs to make the elderly take more stringent tests, including actually driving in traffic... I am all for that... and at a very frequent interval.
"If you are saying that the DMV needs to make the elderly take more stringent tests, including actually driving in traffic... I am all for that... and at a very frequent interval."
posted on July 19, 2003 08:57:40 AM new
I remember when my mother quit driving. We had been bugging her about it for quite a while. She drove the old pickup that had belonged to my father. She was about 80 at the time. One day she came home from town and parked it in the barn. On her way in to the house she told the kid who was working for us "take the battery out of that truck and get rid of it, it's not going to be driven for a while." She didn't say anything to anyone else, and we all just sort of avoided the subject. Finally, when she was good and ready, she told us she had driven thru a construction barricade in town and had caused some damage and gotten her first ticket. That had convinced her it really was time to quit.
posted on July 19, 2003 09:13:44 AM new
::By that logic AARP should not be allowed to advocate on behalf of it's members based on the age of the member (you may join at the age of 50). ::
Actually I believe that the AARP should be allowed to lobby for the benefit of the elderly - that is not my point at all. My point is that their lobby against mandatory driving tests after a certain age was irresponsible, displayed ignorance of reality, and showed a reckless disregard for the health and safety of other persons that are endangered by elderly drivers that do not have the ability to control or properly react in their vehicle.
::Simply test all drivers repeatedly throughout their driving careers.::
Great idea - so where do you think these states are going to come up with the added funding to buid more DMV locations and hire the testers to accomplish this? Have you been in a DMV lately? Which 3 other public services do you think should be cut to fund this unneccessary process?
::I don't believe in sending licensed drivers to prison for traffic accidents regardless of age. ::
Grabbing from a local headline... two young men last year were drag racing, one hit another car and killed two of the three passengers, leaving the third with severe and perm. brain damage. What would you suggest be done to them? How long do they pick up trash on the side of the road for that one?
:: I am in favor of more intensive testing for people over 65 or 70 years of age before renewing or issuing a drivers license. ::
Me too, unfortunately when California tried to enact mandatory testing after a certain age the AARP stopped the measure citing age discrimination.
::So exactly when are people supposed to take responsibility for their own actions and not be able to "blame" everyone else around them? ::
BINGO! This guy drove into a neighborhood birthday party 10 years ago and into another car 2 blocks before he hit the Farmers Market. He has NO sense of responsibility for his actions and the police are now stating that it could be weeks before they decide whether or not the will charge him with a crime. If a 45 year old killed 9 people while fleeing the scene of an accident everyone would be screaming for their head on a platter, because it is a 85 year old man people are afraid they will seem cruel. If the AARP wants the elderly to be treated the same as the young then the sword cuts both ways, if you want the same benefits, you must accept the same responsibilities when those benefits are abused.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
~ Formerly Neonmania on Vendio ~
[ edited by Fenix03 on Jul 19, 2003 09:41 AM ]
posted on July 19, 2003 11:08:38 AM new
Society has to set it's priorities. Many state and local commisions that oversee these departments are run by supporters and relatives of the political establishment (appointees). Their salaries are quite high for what is essentially part time unskilled work. Reduce or eliminate their pay and fund the DMV from there. You can also reduce the salaries of most elected officials on both the state and federal levels to fund these important projects.
posted on July 19, 2003 11:31:02 AM new
Dave - the point I was trying to make is that rewquiring every driver to take a drving test to renew their license is unnnessary and puts and undue burden on the system. States should tell the AARP to shove their discrimination claims and do what common sense tells us needs to be done. Drivers over the age of 65 should have to take a drving test every two years to renew their license.
posted on July 19, 2003 11:43:02 AM new
Essentially we are in agreement, I believe that all drivers should be tested at some interval. I have seen poor driving skills exhibited universally by members of all races, creeds, color, and ages groups. Test everyone. I realize there will be a cost but the benefit to society outweighs the cost.
posted on July 19, 2003 11:52:14 AM newSenior motorists put driving skills to the test
Specialists help elderly to stay safely on course
Lauran Neergaard
Associated Press
June 17, 2003 — 10:45 a.m.
WASHINGTON — First, the elderly woman tried to drive between a delivery van and two people walking on a narrow Florida street. Then, busy chatting, she didn't notice a car stopping in front of her. At a stop sign, she pulled out in front of a truck.
This was a test to see if it was time for the 75-year-old to give up her keys — and when driving specialist Susan Pierce emerged from the car, it was to break bad news.
"She stood up and literally pounded her fist on the table and said, 'I am not giving up my driver's license and not giving up my home,' " before storming out, recalls Pierce, an occupational therapist certified to assess driving skills. "That's probably the toughest part of my job, when I know I have to say 'no.' "
Losing the ability to drive can be a traumatic experience of aging — and knowing when it's time to quit can be immensely difficult. Tests in doctors' offices aren't completely reliable. And nationwide there are only 300 specialists like Pierce certified to perform road tests and offer techniques to help some seniors stay behind the wheel a few more years.
Now medical and traffic groups are beginning some major programs to address the issue:
• The American Medical Association will issue guidelines in July to help doctors tell when older patients' driving is questionable and get them help to stay on the road as long as it is safe. This fall, the AMA also will run a program to train doctors about medical fitness to drive.
• The government recently earmarked $1.6 million to start a National Older Drivers Research Center. Run by the University of Florida and the American Occupational Therapy Association, it will train more "certified driving rehabilitation specialists" like Pierce, and create better off-road tests to screen drivers for problems.
As the baby boomers age, one in four drivers is expected to be over age 65 by 2030. Some 600,000 people age 70 or older give up their keys each year, estimates the National Institute on Aging.
Problems with vision, perception and motor skills increase with age.
Some are obvious, such as severe dementia. But many aren't. Diabetes can numb the legs and feet, making it hard to know if you're properly pumping the brake. Arthritis can hinder turning and checking for traffic.
Then there are problems like Pierce's student had: diminished reaction time, ability to judge spatial relations and juggle more than one task.
As for eyesight, the tests administered to get a driver's license only check visual sharpness. Yet seniors can lose peripheral vision; have blind spots from cataracts, strokes or eye diseases, or lack contrast sensitivity — making it hard to see a dark car at dusk.
Seniors often deny problems, because losing their license is a giant blow, says NIA's Dr. Stanley Slater.
It's not just demeaning: Having no easy, reliable way to get to the grocery store or doctor's office can mean an end to elderly independence. Recall Pierce's student: She wound up having to move in with the daughter who'd insisted on the driving test.
The question is how to spot a problem before a crash, something that usually falls to worried relatives. Few states require more frequent license renewals or eye exams for the elderly.
The AMA guide will urge doctors to ask patients and their relatives about driving problems, watch for possible red flags and hunt medical treatments to help them drive as long as possible.
Occupational therapists increasingly are assessing driving skills with memory and other tests, and offering rehabilitation services to strengthen driving skills.
But ultimately, driving tests are the best tool, says Dennis McCarthy, co-director of the new National Older Drivers Research Center.
They're more complex than those parking-and-steering tests offered at driving schools, says Pierce, who performs them in Orlando, Fla. Nor is it always pass-or-fail: She often finds ways to keep people driving longer.
For example, unprotected left turns — those without a turn-only light — and unfamiliar roads can be big challenges. Some drivers merely need to restrict driving close to home and avoid risky intersections.
Avoiding night driving also helps. So can adaptive technology — special mirrors or hand controls.
The cost for driving evaluations varies widely, from $250 to $800. Elder advocates are lobbying for Medicare coverage, today available in only a few states, Pierce says.
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Here is an article I found online from June 17th, as you can see there are many similar concerns being brought up here as in that article.
I for one think it is a waste of money to test everyone under the age of 65, I really don't care if it seems to single out a certain part of our population, that is because it is... elderly drivers are in reality no less a menace than a drunk driver.
posted on July 19, 2003 12:51:58 PM new
Here in Canada, you have to have an emissions test done on your car every 2 years or you don't get your licence. Maybe, if you had to get a doctor's OK if you were on medication or wore eyeglasses, this would help take some of the costs of re-testing off of the government. (???)
posted on July 25, 2003 04:34:25 AM new
A report released yesterday by a D.C. thinktank, the Road Information Program, says that the number of seniors involved in crashes increased 27% between 1991 and 2001. It also said that the number involved in fatal crashes increased 24%. In Texas the increase was 77% and in Florida 70%. Enough said?????
posted on July 25, 2003 02:46:24 PM new
A) If you drink too much then drive you have reduced capabilities. Driving in this condition is negligent and a crime.
B) If you are too old and get confused easily, you have reduced capabilities. Driving in this condition is negligent and a crime.
Why take pity on one and be harsh on the other one? Sure the drunk got himself into this position, but does that matter to the victims?
I have no problems with taking a driving test every four years before age 60 and every other year after 60. The only people really opposed to this are the ones afraid of losing their driving priviledges. Those who afraid are very likely the very ones who shouldn't be on the road. Yes, it's an inconvenience, but I would be willing to live with it.
-------------------
Replay Media
Games of all kinds!
posted on July 25, 2003 02:56:48 PM new
As the population ages there are more drivers over the age of 65. Did these drivers have accidents on their records earlier in their history (before the age of 65). My point is if you can't drive at 30 I doubt you will be any better of a driver at 65.
posted on July 25, 2003 03:36:07 PM new
I think we all forget that a car is a lethal weapon in the hands of someone driving recklessly. I don't care if they are drunk or elderly, you know when you are too impared to drive. Pride or fear of losing one's independence is no excuse for reckless behavior when the consequences are taking the lives of innocent people. AARP should now acknowledge that they were wrong, but they won't. We are supposed to allow this to continue because if we don't we are disciminating? Discrimination has nothing to do with it. I don't like the color gray. So, I guess I'm discriminating against that color. Everyone discriminates. But, not everyone discriminates to the point of endangering the lives of others. JMO.
Cheryl
Power to the people. Power to the people, right on. - John Lennon
posted on July 25, 2003 04:06:19 PM new
A 79 year old man drove his car into a crowd of people today in Florida, injuring six. The driver said the gas pedal got stuck.
posted on July 25, 2003 04:47:43 PM new
In the event of a sticking throttle (cable or mechanical linkage in older vehicles: What does the age of the driver have to do with it?
Simply test all drivers at some interval, if the public safety is not worth the expense incurred don't bother. It is absurd to pretend only the elderly are not proficient drivers.
posted on July 25, 2003 04:55:00 PM new
I suppose some here would vote for geriatric prisons. LOL!
Report: Florida Leads Nation In Traffic Fatalities Among Older Drivers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
-- A report says that Florida leads the nation in traffic fatalities among older drivers.
The report comes as police try to find out what led to a 79-year-old man, who uses
a wheelchair, ramming his car into a farmers' market today at Flagler Beach.
The new report finds traffic fatalities jumped 70 percent among older drivers in
Florida between 1991 and 2001. It shows 268 people over the age of 70 were
killed in car crashes in Florida in 2001.
One transportation analyst says the death toll will only get worse in the future unless
Florida's Legislature takes action to make roads safer.
Doug Callaway of "Floridians for Better Transportation" says the state can make roads
signs easier to see with bigger lettering, make road-striping brighter and construct more
left turn lanes at intersections.
But he says those improvements are often delayed because state lawmakers are raiding
transportation funds every year to pay for other services.
posted on July 25, 2003 05:07:26 PM new
davebraun- the incidence of "stuck throttle" is miniscule and you know it. Remember the Audi urban legend years ago? The only one pretending here is you. No one is saying that " only the elderly are not proficient drivers". You are in denial if you do not believe that one's reflexes do not diminish as one ages. Since you know that the cost of any testing will be a major point of contention, seniors are the obvious priority group with reflex testing mandatory. However, somehow all drivers should be restricted if they are on certain classes of prescribed medicines but regrettably this is virtually impossible.
posted on July 25, 2003 05:31:59 PM new
I am in agreement that ones reflexes diminish with age. I do not agree that drivers above a certain age be tested for competency and younger drivers exempted. I would however consider taking an average age of all drivers and testing beginning at that age routinely. I believe you can get a license in some states at 16, the oldest driver is probably somewhere in the area of 94. Therefore begin testing at 50 (the average) say every 24 months. That seems a fair compremise.
posted on July 25, 2003 06:43:43 PM new
No, are you. How's your driving. Mines OK. It's got nothing to do with the issue. Do you believe ones skills deteriorate overnight? Which night does it happen on? Is it the same for everyone? If so then I guess we should be tested on the morning after that night. What's the problem with holding everyone to a standard? Seems like a no brainer.
posted on July 29, 2003 05:24:48 AM new
Today the American Medical Association is releasing its first physicians' guide on dealing with older drivers. Specifics addressed include how to assess driving skills and dealing with Alzheimers patients. It stops short of insisting doctors report non-safe drivers but urges them to view senior's driving as a public safety issue. In Florida the law now states that all drivers over 80 must pass vision tests as of next year. Last year the licenses of 8,608 Florida residents were revoked for medical and/or vision reasons!
