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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: mileeg on April 21, 2012, 04:47:14 am
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or live them along.....because they need to go shopping,doctors appoinments..etc...etc..
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Yes, I think that after you hit age 68 then a mandatory drivers test should be required each year. I am not saying though, that they are the only causes of accidents!!! Don't get offended anyone over age 68!!!! AND, if you are a good driver over age 68, you shouldn't have ANYTHING to worry about....
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Definitely! I don't know that yearly should be required-but at least at every license renewal.
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Id say at 65 you have to take your test again, or at least they need a doctors/eye doctors clearance to drive.
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The AARP does a yearly drivers test for seniors. This is a three day course to remind older drivers about street signs and rules of the road. Anyone can take the course and get a discount on their auto insurance for taking it. However, this course does not go far enough. A real driving test should be apart of the course. It is easy to lie about your weaknesses in driving skills, to others and to yourself. It is better if someone would take a ride with each person to see how well they handle car and the rules of the road. And a eye exam is very important too.
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maybe after age 70
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I'm thinking after a certain age...65ish, when a person has to renew their license, they should do a behind the wheel test too. Definitely.
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Oh my yes. I only say this from the experience of riding with my mother who believes in stopping on a dime and there is only her speed limit, which is usually 10 miles over the posted, and other bad habits. Now mind you she is only 69. Everyone in my family has learned to do the driving when she is around. :bs:
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I believe that seniors really should take driving tests every year because who knows if their driving got worse. I sometimes see elderly drivers on the road going dangerously slow, swerving, or taking wrong turns. I don't blame them though. I bet I wouldn't be so good if I was old. I just think they should take tests for safety reasons. If they can't then they should have other people driving them to places. Or maybe senior discounts for taxis would be nice.
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Yes - Yes - Yes
I've watched my grandfather and now my Mother continue to drive
when they should not be allowed to.
It is a risk to not only them but to the safety of others.
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not maybe very 2 years from 70 and on.
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For sure, things change fast as you age...
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Yes, I do feel that after a certain age that driver should regularly be given a driver exam...have you ever been behind an elderly driver. I mean come on now sometimes you can tell when they are having a had time. And I swear by no means am I discriminating against the elderly because my grandmother still drives. But I will say this my grandmother gets out before the morning commute and leaves before the afternoon rush, because she know how she drives....lol
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If they're collecting social security benefits, all seniors should be required to pass a yearly driving test, (written one included and me included when I retire).
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OMG, Yes, yes, yes!!!!!
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I believe they should. It's for their own safety ....
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That kind of thinking makes an idiotic assumption about a certain group of people. :bs: There actually was a study done on this that showed younger people actually cause the greatest amount of accidents. Seniors behave differently than younger people on the road. For instance they are less likely to drive during hazardous times ( weather, traffic, etc) and they excercise better judgement about those types of things than do younger people. My suggestion is before you go shooting off at the mouth about a subject, research it, and produce your reference to claim credibility on a subject..here's mine:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070719115903.htm
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I am not sure there is a certain SENIOR AGE that people should reach before they are required to pass the driver's test. People age differently. Today's 65 year old is different than they were years ago.
Seniors in their 70s and 80s are the ages that I have seen that make me think they should have to pass the driver's tests yearly.
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Yes, as a safety precaution.
I am only 36, but wear glasses. If my eyes change I should have to prove I can still see well enough to drive, so should anyone else.
I'm all for independence and personal rights, as long as it isn't a safety issue.
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yes i think after a certain age they should have to retake their drivers test.
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With high fuel prices, some do not even drive anymore!
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I am 61 this year and based on myself I would say that age 70 is a good year to start yearly driving tests. I think once sight and reaction times are starting to get negotiated then it is time to make sure that each driver is safe both for themselves and others. This is a great topic and something I have been thinking about for quite a few years. thanks for bringing it up!
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That kind of thinking makes an idiotic assumption about a certain group of people.
Than call me an idiot. Teens may cause more accidents-but someone passed them on a test recently. I have known a number of drivers who held onto the freedom of a drivers license for longer than they should have because decades ago someone gave them that freedom. What's the harm in retesting? Safer roads?!?
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I think seniors should get a doctors approval for driving. I am VERY concerned for my dad. He loves to drive, but sometimes I feel like it is not safe for him to drive anymore. I know it's hard for him to stay at home, but my sister lives close by and she does take them (mom and dad) out sometimes to do their shopping or errands.
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Yes, I believe after a surtain age they should have to. It is for their own saftly and everyone else driving. I would say 75-80 is/would be a good age to make them retake the tests.
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teenage drivers cause more accidents than older should they be tested every year as well
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That is a tough question. Unfortunately it can only be answered by the individual. Well, a reasonable one anyway. There should be a age retake for drivers though. It actually becomes more of an entire another issue though! To give up on their independence and admit to the world that they can no longer "do it" may be very traumatic to say the least! Of course, if they kill someone that would be far worse! So a retest for some may be exactly what is needed. :wave:
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Hopefully when I become a seasoned citizen I will have enough money to hire somebody to drive me around.
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Definitely - yes. I used to be a caregiver and went to seminars for elderly caregivers.
Some of the main stories are about driving.
I'll always remember one story in particular about a senior who had Alzheimer's and was still driving; the senior accidentally drove onto the railroad tracks [not across].
The other stories are cooking accidents seniors have had.
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I think they should.Everybody over a certain age should.There are many older ones that I have seen that do not watch what they are doing.Failing eyesight,reflexes and hearing.It happens to all of us.An older gentleman hit my sil the other day.The man was running late for a dr appt.My sil got out to check on the man and make sure he was ok.When my sil turned to check his truck the gentleman got into his vehicle and left.Now thay are gonna charge him with hit and run.He is in his 70's.Definitely need a yearly road test.
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Yes!!! Absolutely they should. Why should you automatically maintain the right to drive if you do not the ability to do so. Clearly, concepts like reaction time and sometimes confidence wanes as you age and your vision and reflexes changes.
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I say mandatory driving test every 6 months (why wait a year for chaos to happen?) for all pot smokers, drinkers, partiers and takers of mood altering street and/or prescription drugs. And since several studies have confirmed that the highest accident rates are caused by those between the ages of 16 and 25, lets throw them in the pile too! Heck, lets just drug test, and driving test EVERYONE every 6 months. I'd feel safer, wouldn't you? After all it's for your own good! :BangHead:
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I think this is something that needs to be done. I am seeing a lot of accidents involving senior drivers that are driving. For the safety of themselves and others a yearly test is needed.
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I think that if we want to go down this road(tic), rather than singling out seniors, everyone should take a yearly driving test. Senior's tend to drive differently because their reaction time has slowed, people under the age of twenty five are easily distracted and don't have the experience driving in various scenarios, in-betweeners can be preoccupied with family problems and work stress. Lawyers, doctors, insurance agents, real estate agents, etc, all have to complete continuing education requirements to make sure that they are safe in public...why not make it mandatory for people driving a two thousand pound weapon? The state revenue would be tremendous as well and could lead to lower taxes.
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I definitely think so!
My great-grandmother is 100 years old, and while I don't think she has a license anymore...when she was in her 90s she was still driving around and she was going blind! She could have killed herself and people out on the road!
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I think that once you hit a certian age you start to lose some motor skills. they should take a driving test but not every 5 years and just a basic one without the parellel parking
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teenagers cause more accident then do the elderly...the teenagers are the ones who need a yearly driving test
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teenagers cause more accident then do the elderly...the teenagers are the ones who need a yearly driving test
I disagree; teenagers need to re-test at least every six months, (just because they do generally tend to be more reckless).
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I think if there are issues there should be monitoring.Too many people have been hurt by these impaired drivers. If a person has physical impairments that make them not 100% why should the rest of us have to maimed or hurt because someone refuses to accept their impairment. They should be tested yearly or semi-annually after a certain age. ???
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Everyone is different so setting an age up to re-new the license is not a bad thing! But, how about making it every 5 years for EVERYONE!! THIS way there is no age discrimination and it would keep everyone honest! A LOT can happen when a person turns 15 (or whatever the age is now) and this way a person will stay honest with there tickets and there insurance! I think it will save lives AND promote jobs also!
:wave:
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I think so too....it will make all of us safer....though to be fair, they shouldn't have to pay for it
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Well i will be 69 soon. i have never had a ticket., have never driven while drinking, never done drugs. But i know what i cannot do and that is too drive at night. I have night blindness and cannot read signs. So i do not drive. I would be willing to take a drivers test. Written and otherwise. But i can tell you right now the one thing that scares me is some of these kids. Who ever taught them too drive did not do a good job. And since i live in N.M. one of 2 states that give illagels a drivers lic. They just drive like they are in Mex. and it is scary, having driven in Mex. myself. I truely belive they should not be able too.
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I think so too....it will make all of us safer....though to be fair, they shouldn't have to pay for it
If they don't pay for the priviledge of being a licenced driver, (and it is a priviledge, not a 'right'), then taxpayers would have to foot the bill. I'd be against that and if they don't want to pay to requalify to drive, they don't get license.
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The worse drivers I have seen in my town are young people. Let's give the "mature" people of this world a break! Don't assume because a person is a certain age the cannot drive. Most of these comments are rather biased toward the Senior Citizens.
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The worse drivers I have seen in my town are young people. Let's give the "mature" people of this world a break! Don't assume because a person is a certain age the cannot drive. Most of these comments are rather biased toward the Senior Citizens.
Both age groups were addressed as containing the most deficient drivers needing requalification. You can look up the accident statistics yourself however, the topic of this thread concerns senior drivers, (others interjected teenaged drivers as a significant tangent). One could argue that everyone, at every age, be re-tested every 5 years, (or some other interval), because the abilities & condition of a driver could change between license renewals.
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Definitely yes, for the safety of themselves and others.
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My mother is in her 80's and has had blackouts, so she is not allowed to drive period.
She could have been on the road during her blackouts and that would have gotten herself and possibly others harmed or killed.
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I think they should take a driving test at the renewal of their license, not every year, that will cost the state so much money.
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I think they should take a driving test at the renewal of their license, not every year, that will cost the state so much money.
Not if the applicant pays for the renewal application, (a license to drive is a priviledge, not a 'right').
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I think seniors should take driving test yearly. I remember when i would ride with my grandfather and he would easily get distracted and swerve in and out of his lane. He was glad when i got my license so that i could drive him around.
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I think seniors should take driving test yearly. I remember when i would ride with my grandfather and he would easily get distracted and swerve in and out of his lane. He was glad when i got my license so that i could drive him around.
Agreed.
“I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather... not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.”
--Will Shriner
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i think its all about vision because they neeed to be able to see if not then get someone to take them places.
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i think its all about vision because they neeed to be able to see if not then get someone to take them places.
While vision is critical to driving, there are other important factors involved as well, (reaction time, impairing medical conditions, etc.).
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Yes safety first.
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for safety reasons, i think so.
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I think they should at least be tested. The main reason is because their reflexes are not what they used to be. Also, some of them cannot see like they used to also. So, I think at a certain age it would be a good idea. Now I am not saying that the younger drivers are any better. Maybe everyone should go for yearly driving tests.
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yes because their hearing and their eye sight goes and they could endanger other people on the road.
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I feel it would be in everyone's best interest to take a drivers test every time you get your drivers license renewed.
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Everyone is different so setting an age up to re-new the license is not a bad thing! But, how about making it every 5 years for EVERYONE!! THIS way there is no age discrimination and it would keep everyone honest! A LOT can happen when a person turns 15 (or whatever the age is now) and this way a person will stay honest with there tickets and there insurance! I think it will save lives AND promote jobs also!
(I answered this before, but for some reason it was in red and you really couldn't see it! I think this is a great idea, so I re-posted it without that annoying red that I have no idea how I did it!
:wave:
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I do think there should be drivers written tests required every certain number of years. Not just for the elderly but could also apply to the general public. Maybe every 10 years so that everyone can be updated on the newest driving rules. I see people blatantly forgetting/ignoring the rules and the city adding new types of traffic devices that were never in the drivers handbook when I got my license. The book changes each year and I think everyone could benefit from looking it over more than once in their lifetime. So I think it would be good to require driving written tests over the years and vision checks. As for an actual driving test that should only be required if your physical or mental capability has changed significantly probably at the request of a doctor.
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I think at a certain age we should all take a retest. It would be a wake up call for a lot of people. Doctors though should be more open and honest with their elderly patients and their families if they feel that they shouldn't drive anymore. They don't have to take away the keys but they should talk to them. Family should talk to them too honestly and try to help out.
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....They don't have to take away the keys but they should talk to them. Family should talk to them too honestly and try to help out.
That is easier said then done, I am afraid. I think it would be VERY hard for SOME elderly... especially men, to admit that they are too old to drive effectively! (WOW! That was sexist wasn't it! And I am a guy!) I know that for me, (and it may be a different story SORT OF...) but when I was having some issues with my MS, I stopped driving for a few months altogether and gradually stating going back to it, until I got back my confidence. I wouldn't drive at night, on rainy days... not too late usually very early in the morning until I sharpened my limits and satisfied myself! But I had a HARD time admitting to myself I shouldn’t be driving at the time! I was just 36 when all this happened, so I really didn't fit into the too old to be driving situation! Yes, I am guy and I HAD an ego! Not any more! :wave:
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I think there should be a driving test given to people every so often throughout their life. I've seen people in their 20's that drive more erratically than older people. I was driving the other day and the lady next to me was putting on eye liner while driving. I've even saw one person trying to read while driving on the highway. Those people are more of a danger than an older person in my opinion. I mean, I'm not going to yell at someone not for using a hand-over-hand turn, but if they are going 40 in a 25 zone, something needs to be done.
Now, if the older person can't drive or is having issues while driving, then something should be done. Still, there'd have to be a reason beyond just age.
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yes , i think they should when they turn 69 or 70 because their reflexes are slower and hand eye coridination slows as we age. I think it will help them stay current and help them realize if they are getting to old to drive.
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I definitely encourage more frequent driving test for seniors. I have enough trouble battling crazy drivers of various ages. As to seniors I've seen on the road where I question whether they should have a license they tend to drive a bit slower, but still dangerous (being unattentive).
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I do think that There should be some kind of test for seniors that are over a ceartain age, For the saftey of all the other drivers on the road.
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YES THEY SHOULD. It is just a precaution to make sure their driving skills are up to snuff. They should take it at age 65 and take it again every 2 years
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This is really such a touchy subject. Because I know when I get to that age I would want to be able to drive, but some older people in the population probably are not capable. I really do not know how to answer this; it is just too conflicting.
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This is really such a touchy subject. Because I know when I get to that age I would want to be able to drive, but some older people in the population probably are not capable. I really do not know how to answer this; it is just too conflicting.
No one wants such restrictions to apply to them, (it's another matter as it applies to anyone else). For any regulations regarding driving restrictions for public and personal safety reasons, they'd have to apply across the board to everyone. The simpliest way to make it that fair is to set an age where requalification for a driver's license is required. That way, whoever passes is good to go and whoever doesn't cannot have their license renewed, (although provision might be made to allow for retesting, just like applying for an initial license). Preferably, the renewal fee would be low, (cannot be free for millions of requalifications since that isn't financial practical for state motor vehicle departments).
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yes i think they should
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EVERY post that I have read here says that they or WE should be re-tested right? It would save lives. It would more jobs.
THEN WHY AREN'T WE DOING THIS?!?
I know why. It would be an inconvienience to us! We feel that ONCE we pass that test at ag 16 or whatever, we NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AGAIN! While that is great and all that, have you ever lost someone beause they were in a car crash with someone who was either to old or too young to be driving? Get evertone retested as part of the resonsibility of having a car. I am dealthy afraid of getting into a car and possible getting hit by someone who is too old or not expiencced enough! RE-testing every few years will help eliminate some of the people that shouldn't be driving!
'nough said
:wave:
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yes they need to do that. i've almost been ran over by so many old people it's crazy. and some of them are so short it's to much.. they can barely see over the wheel
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EVERY post that I have read here says that they or WE should be re-tested right? It would save lives. It would more jobs.
THEN WHY AREN'T WE DOING THIS?!?
I know why. It would be an inconvienience to us! We feel that ONCE we pass that test at ag 16 or whatever, we NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AGAIN! While that is great and all that, have you ever lost someone beause they were in a car crash with someone who was either to old or too young to be driving? Get evertone retested as part of the resonsibility of having a car. I am dealthy afraid of getting into a car and possible getting hit by someone who is too old or not expiencced enough! RE-testing every few years will help eliminate some of the people that shouldn't be driving!
'nough said
:wave:
It would also cost a lot of money and there is no reason to believe that it make people better drivers. Those inexperienced drivers that you worry about are also the same drivers that just passed their driving tests. Harsher penalties for those break traffic laws would be a better way to take bad drivers off the road.
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as long they had good condition i dont think they need to take another test....leave them along lol
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I do think there should be drivers written tests required every certain number of years. Not just for the elderly but could also apply to the general public. Maybe every 10 years so that everyone can be updated on the newest driving rules. I see people blatantly forgetting/ignoring the rules and the city adding new types of traffic devices that were never in the drivers handbook when I got my license. The book changes each year and I think everyone could benefit from looking it over more than once in their lifetime. So I think it would be good to require driving written tests over the years and vision checks. As for an actual driving test that should only be required if your physical or mental capability has changed significantly probably at the request of a doctor.
I agree with what some people have been urging; testing everyone every 5 or so years. Not only to be able to check for physical impairments like poor eyesight, reaction time, etc.; but also as mentioned in the quote above to check people's understanding of the rules of the road. I know our city just installed a new traffic light that has a blinking green arrow. I had no clue what that was about. There was a traffic sign next to it that explained that "vehicles turning left must yield while --> is blinking", but if I were turning the first time I saw that I may not notice the sign or not have time to read it completely, esp. if you were used to the solid green arrows and didn't realize that it blinking means something different.
I wouldn't even be against requiring people to take a refresher course every so often just to go over some of these new changes in the law. When I reffed for soccer, in order to first get our reffing certificate we first had an in-depth course talking about all of the rules in soccer as well as a lengthy written and practical exam. But then each year thereafter we had to take a refresher course which mainly covered any new rule changes, different things that FIFA had been talking about (such as the spirit behind some of the rules in order to interpret them consistently), and any rules that were either something that many refs missed or interpreted incorrectly. Then following the course there was a shorter written test for renewals. Maybe something like this applied to driving would make more people aware of the different laws yet wouldn't be so burdensome or expensive to renew your license either.
I could also see shortening that time between tests for both the young and the old to every year or two. For the young, the repetition would ensure that they get the experience of knowing what the rules are and how to drive correctly and safely. For the elderly it is more of a test to see whether physical changes that occur with aging aren't impairing the driver. I've actually been a little skeptical about the studies showing that elderly drivers are not dangerous on the roads. Most of the time, the studies only vehicles that are involved in an accident, but it may neglect to include reasons behind the collision. For example some elderly drivers know that their reaction times are slower, so tend to drive slower. If they are driving slowly on a highway (even if the highway has a minimum posted limit) the elderly driver may pose a danger to other drivers and may even be the cause of the accident even if their car was not hit. A person may not be expecting a car traveling at the minimum limit of 40 on a highway with a maximum limit of 65 (which means most traffic may be driving even faster at 70) and may tend to swerve out of the lane to avoid rear-ending the slow car. However if the person doesn't fully check the next lane, or hits their brakes too hard may actually get hit by a third car. And the issue may be exacerbated if one of the drivers of the 2nd or 3rd cars is young and therefore not as experienced as to how to handle situations like this; they may jerk the steering wheel too sharply or not properly check the next lane, etc.
But even if there were these mandatory tests, it wouldn't ensure that people would always drive the way they do during the tests. During the test, a person may, for example, leave their cell phone at home knowing they'd fail if the phone distracted them while driving. But then after passing the test, the person may go back into their bad habits of fiddling with the phone while they were driving. I know for my test, I made a conscious effort to keep my hands in the proper "2 and 10" positions at all times, but now I'm more apt to drive with only one hand on the wheel (esp. on empty stretches of highway where there isn't much issue with handling the steering). So even with the additional tests, you will still have the idiots that text and drive, apply their makeup (or shave their face, cuz guys are idiots too), drive too fast / slow, etc. But I think that the test would just help to reinforce the rules and may help to catch people that truly should not be allowed to drive for all our safety.
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Yes I think that elderly people need to take a yearly driving test because their health can decrease more rapidity them any other age group.
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Yes, I think at age 70 it should be yearly. This will also take a lot of stress off other family members who have to take cars away from elderly relatives. I also think that if you have a DUI then FOREVER you should be required to have a breathalyzer on your vehicles so that you must prove you are sober before you can drive. If you have en excessive number of moving violations or accidents then I think you should have to take a driving test yearly for 3 to 5 years. As a former Highway Patrol Officer and my husband was a Town Marshal and County Sheriff we both agree that people are given the privilege of driving when they have proven that they do not appreciate it and need re-training to get back the privilege, not just senior citizens but everyone.
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Yes, I think that after you hit age 68 then a mandatory drivers test should be required each year. I am not saying though, that they are the only causes of accidents!!! Don't get offended anyone over age 68!!!! AND, if you are a good driver over age 68, you shouldn't have ANYTHING to worry about....
YES! because if they r too old and cant see or hear they shouldnt drive
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Yes, I think that after you hit age 68 then a mandatory drivers test should be required each year. I am not saying though, that they are the only causes of accidents!!! Don't get offended anyone over age 68!!!! AND, if you are a good driver over age 68, you shouldn't have ANYTHING to worry about....
So you want to age discriminate and make people who are most likely already living on a fixed income that isn't all that much have to pay additional cost every year to prove they can still drive?
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So you want to age discriminate and make people who are most likely already living on a fixed income that isn't all that much have to pay additional cost every year to prove they can still drive?
Research into how many drivers with medical or other limitations which developed after they obtained their license to drive have caused accidents due to those conditions. Why should other drivers, (or pedestrians), have to bear the physical and financial costs engendered by those who would have been deemed unfit to hold a driver's licenseit tested more often? Remember that driving is not a right, it's a priviledge. Such a 'fitness renewal' fee needn't be exorbitant, (it could be, say, $5).
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AB---SOOO-LOOTTT---LEEE....FREAKIN" YES.
I would want my skills retested.....
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I agree with everyone..
I live with my 87 almost 88 year old mother in law. She was driving up to 2 years a go.. and it was really scary!!!! I was ariad to ride with her.
We ended up getting a truck.. so this eliminates her from driving... she can't get into it without help.
They think they can do this, but it is so dangerous.
I make everything so easy to keep her independent.. driving is just not possible at this age.
It is so important to be there for the elderly... :heart:
:wave:
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YES, please YES! Just today I saw an older gentlemen driving down the bike lane for about a mile... it was pretty scary :o
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oh yes they should take a driving test after the age of 65 or older
if they do not take a driving test i think a program should be setup
to take the seniors to all of their appointment and also to take them shopping to get the
things that they need because some are to old to drive them self around. :icon_rr:
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What happens when WE are possed with the exact same question? I know for me, I gave up driving for a few months and ol=nly now I so drive when it warrents to be safe! (either late at night or early in the A.M. when there is nobody around!)
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YES!!!! I was recently in Florida ( NO offence I LOVE FLORIDA!!!) but there are a lot of seniors in the area i was at and their driving scared me to death. I know that older people need to get around but sometimes it just isn't safe if their sight or hearing is gone.
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Yes, i think that a yearly driving test is a good idea, because their has been to many accidents involving elder drivers, but in fairness their are a lot of bad drivers that are younger. Maybe everybody should take a refresher driving test every year. :)
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Yes, i think that a yearly driving test is a good idea, because their has been to many accidents involving elder drivers, but in fairness their are a lot of bad drivers that are younger. Maybe everybody should take a refresher driving test every year. :)
The yearly refresher course is an idea however, I'd suggest adding a precurser questionaire, (sent out by the state motor vehicle departments), which require listing any pre-existing or recently developed medical/psychological conditions whic may impair driving. Now, I realize that some people will have a tendency to lie about such things however, retesting anyone between the ages of 16-29 and 62-on up would be more of an across-the-board fair practice.
Although I'm not sure of the practicality of doing so, maybe those who fail the retesting shouldn't have to pay any fees to have their driver's license revoked.
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Seniors should not be the only drivers who should take the yearly tests. So many of those who are not seniors do not know the rules of the road and drive as though they are the only ones driving amongst the others. Rudeness doesn't even come close. Some of the younger drivers should never have been given licenses.