Why Do We Let the Elderly on Our Roads?

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Holy. Crap.

Anybody actually checked the figures on the ages of those involved in motoring accidents? I'll wager a lot more of them are caused by idiot teens than ever are by those with half a century of experience or more, who are obviously quite good at driving because otherwise they wouldn't still be doing it.

Yes actually I have checked them at least at some point in my life; senior citizens are *almost* as bad as teenagers. When you consider the completely bat f**k insane things that teenagers do, that means that the elderly are breathtakingly inept. We're also talking lower instances of night driving, speeding, and intoxication. In other words, unlike younger drivers who just have bad judgment, older drivers are incapable of driving safely through abject ineptitude.
e.g.

Maybe some died of old age?

I am only saying the impaired elderly shouldn't drive (of course, this applies to anyone, regardless of age, but people's cognitive and physical functions decline with age, and many are stubborn about giving up their privilege to drive when it's become an obvious problem to relatives and onlookers). Other options are usually available, and if it's inadequate, the U.S. really needs to invest in better public transportation services anyway.

When a driver is consistently misjudging speeds, driving into the wrong lane, driving too slow, becoming lost and confused and then making erratic moves, unable to break in time because of poor reaction time, etc, they're endangering other people's lives, and by backing up traffic, causing, in the aggregate, untold lost hours and aggravation. Do libertarians support letting such things continue unchecked?

If they can pass a driver's test (not just on paper but in practice), they should be permitted to drive regardless of the medical conditions they have. If, however, they fail the test, they should not be permitted to drive unless they take it again and pass.

Because it would be a violation of their civil liberties and descrimination to deny them the right to drive simply on the basis of their age. Not all elderly people are terrible drivers. My great-grandfather's driving was perfectly fine his entire life, and he was almost 100 when he died. There are a lot of reasons a person may not be fit to drive but age alone is not one of them.

Well, I've really never heard anyone say that we should prevent the elderly from driving just because they are old, but rather that we should screen them for being *dangerous* regularly due to the clear potential for danger that they pose.

And as the US government is so keen to point out: driving isn't a right, it's a privilege.

Has anyone ever wondered how many people would actually pass that test if they were given it tomorrow? I'm going to wager that most people would probably fail.

It's not a difficult test in Ohio at least. The road portion is simple enough; just make sure not to run any stop signs. The maneuverability is pretty easy as well, unless you just suck at handling a car.

They have much stricter standards in Michigan. It was a response to the state's absolutely horrible records when it comes to collisions. Based on many of the people I know, it's not unusual at all for people to fail the test the first time. They expect almost robotic precision. It's not just about what you do, but how you do it.

From what I've seen on the roads and what I know about the test from when I took it, it is not a very accurate reflection of how people actually drive.

The speed restricters will only be fitted to those who want them fitted as not going to be compulsory. Taxing per mile has been a long debate, although I can see where you are going with that.

Isn't it funny, all the large cars with scratches, dents and whatnot will always have an old person at the wheel. The car's too big for them, they can't handle it. At least my grandad drives a smaller car though. I would doubt if my dad or grandad could pass a test these days. All the categories changing all the time with what you need to do, etc. My dad should be taken off the road, bad clutch control, road rage, etc

Most people in Ohio fail the first time around too, I think we and Michigan are pretty similar. No, you don't drive the same way in daily life as you do on the test, because the way you drive for the test is stupid, but it's not difficult to do for the 15 minutes or so that you're out on the road with the examiner. Drive around town a bit with them, observe traffic laws more strictly than you would otherwise (ie stopping at a certain point before stop signs/red lights, making sure you brake hard enough that the car rolls back and the examiner knows you've actually stopped, etc) and then avoid hitting some traffic cones. It's really not that hard once you know what you're doing.

Young people do as many stupid things on the road as older people, they just do them faster...

Considering Social Security's a bit dodgy for anyone who isn't retiring right now, I expect to work until I die. So simmer down, or I'll brain you with my walker...

Why don't we just do away with this licensing issue alltogether? If it is only mandatory to have a form of insurance the private insurance companies and their differing rates would weed out bad drivers, no matter of what age, via financial means and this should improve the quality of driving.

Just my 2 Eurocents.

Don't believe it. When speed cameras were introduced government stated they'd never be used on motorways. Now if you drive from Maidstone to Swansea at 100mph your driving licence will end up looking like a scorecard from a darts match -- when you get it back. You need to understand that the people we're dealing with will never be satisfied. Whatever they do to "protect" us, there'll always be one more step on from that they can take next. Indeed, often that next step is already planned, but they know oppressive legislation is relatively easy to introduce incrementally. When they propose something you need to think what the next logical steps are, because in supporting the initial proposal that's where you're heading.


Never noticed that. Anyway, I'm not old (but still quite a bit older than you), and I drive a big car with lots of scratches because I go places where lots of hawthorn bushes grow close to the road edge, and frequently take the vehicle off-road. The worst drivers in my opinion are women of child-bearing age racing around ferrying their brats to and from school. If there's someone 5' behind you between 8a.m and 4.30pm you can bet it's a female. It's true that some elderly drivers around these parts drive everywhere at 25mph and are a real pain, but they've paid their taxes all their lives, and quite possibly fought in several wars, so I think they're entitled to drive as long as is reasonably possible.