Follow
Share

I was fortunate that my parents gave up driving gracefully.


I feel sorry for children that are dealing with a situation where their parents continue to drive.


What a headache! It’s a dangerous situation for them and others on the road.


Do you feel after a certain age a license should be given for a shorter time frame? What age? How long would you like to see a driver’s license be issued for? Please share.


Should a driving test and written test be required for the elderly?

This discussion has been closed for comment. Start a New Discussion.
Find Care & Housing

22 Comments

Newest
First Oldest
First
How hard is it to revoke a license?

I read so many sad stories about seniors driving on this forum.

There needs to be a more practical way of handling this matter.
(1)
Report
In my province at age 80 and every 2 years after people need to:

"Take a vision test
Undergo a driver record review
Participate in a 45-minute Group Education Session (GES)
During the GES, complete two, brief, non-computerized in-class screening assignments
If necessary, take a road test

Once you've completed the group session and screening components you may be asked to take a road test or submit medical information from your doctor."

And doctors have the power to flag people who shouldn't be driving, unfortunately some are better at it than others. When my bro had a seizure his doctor informed the mto and his licence was suspended immediately, on the other hand when my mom lost her eyesight nobody said a word 🙄
(4)
Report
Each state has their own rules on this. Believe it not some states have very long expirations. In California our licenses are valid for 5 years. To renew all you have to do is a pay a fee. At some point they may make you take a vision test or a written exam but I have had my license for over 20 years and I have a corrective lenses (glasses)notation on my licenses and I haven’t had to go in for an eye test or take a written exam yet. Basically we can keep renewing our license over and over unless we lose it because we get a DUI or rack up too many tickets, OR get reported for old age.
In Arizona your license expires on your 65th birthday. You do have to take a new photo every 12 years though.

Some states, if an elderly driver is reported to the DMV by a dr or law enforcement, the DMV only makes them come in for an eye test. In California they make them take a behind the wheel test.

I think once you hit 75 you should have to take a behind the wheel test every 2-3 years. And get a medical clearance from your dr. The problem is, I think too many people are too afraid to report elderly drivers. And drs are probably hesitant to make that call & report then to the DMV because it’s taking away some of their freedom and independence.
(1)
Report
I took my Dad to renew his license. He should have had his vision tested. He chatted up the lady. She took a new photo and did nothing else. Fortunately, he quit driving several years ago. He never drove much anyway. We live in a town where you can walk to everything. I only drive once or twice a week. I don’t like driving.
(2)
Report
I gave up my own some years ago. Was never an especially good driver; took too long in making decisions (hee hee). My bro did not. He depended upon his car and admitted when he lay bleeding in the arms of a neighbor that he "knew something was wrong" (it was). I agree that elders should have to do the written and the driving test every two years after a certain age. Let's arbitrarily say 75. My partner is 80 and one of the best drivers I have ever known. He could pass this test in a second. And if he couldn't? He shouldn't be driving.
(2)
Report
I also think elderly people should not be able to purchase cars so easily.

All tests should be given at the DMV for elders. The road tests, written tests and eye tests.
(1)
Report
You cant single out the elderly, it is discriminatory. What should be done is require mandated reporters to report all people with conditions that impair their ability to drive. Once the report is made, then an evaluation to determine if a license should be revoked.
(1)
Report
Stacy, people are singled out all the time. Think about what you pay for your teen child's insurance. It is recognized that the elderly and the young are more prone to accidents. People should be protected from elders who will not willingly give up their licenses. We see this all the time. As I said, my bro lay bleeding after his accident, which happily didn't hurt anyone else because of where it happened, and repeated over and over that he knew something was wrong, and didn't take care of it.
(2)
Report
Alva, we cannot base things strictly on age.

For instance, I cannot drive without glasses. Lets say my eyes got worse over the course of a year and I live paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford new glasses every year. The DMV only checks your vision here every 8 years. So, if I choose not to get glasses, I am putting others at risk and my doctor should report it for investigation whether I am 30 or 90. Same goes with people with difibulators.

Age does not matter, health conditions and choices do. Its a slippery slope to base things solely on age.
(1)
Report
I only mean they shouldn’t drive if they aren’t competent.

My grandma drove until her 80’s. She was a good driver. She only drove short distances though, church, grocery, post office, our house, etc.

My grandpa was a speed demon! Hahaha 😂. I always thought he was fun to drive with when I was a kid! LOL, maybe that is where my love of roller coasters came from.

Now my uncle, oh my gosh, I told my mom to never, ever send me on a trip to the store with him again!

My uncle drove up the exit ramp on the interstate. I was a teenager and completely freaked out!

Then I decided that I wanted to live and looked behind us, no cars, told him to back up and stay off of the interstate! Geeeeeeez! It was an adventure going off with my uncle.

Oh, and my uncle had a bad temper too! If someone honked behind him he would throw a spare set of keys out of the window!

When the irate driver would approach his window, he would take off like a bat out of h*ll! Who does that?

He had keys made to throw out of the window just to piss people off if they bugged him! He was out of the box crazy! Hahaha 😂

I guess everyone has a crazy uncle or weird aunt, funny grandparent in their family.
(3)
Report
Stacy,

That’s a fair statement. You’re absolutely correct. It is circumstantial but the conversation is only targeted at seniors because of this being an ‘aging’ website and comments are only aimed at those who are no longer capable of being responsible drivers.

You make an excellent point though and I think everyone will agree with your viewpoint that age is irrelevant.
(0)
Report
New York State is either 8 years or 10 years and unless you get in accidents, your free to drive at 100. There is no getting retested. There was a no getting your license taken away at 95. You can get renewed at 100.
(2)
Report
Elaine,

Kind of wild, huh? Can you picture your mom still driving? 😂

Was she a good driver? I bet she was a firecracker behind the wheel!

My dad tried to teach me to drive. Oh my gosh! He was NOT cut out to be a driving instructor. I worked on his nerves! He made me cry! My mom was wise and signed me up for driver’s education classes.

My husband was a fantastic teacher to my girls. I was the horrible teacher! LOL

Let me tell you a funny story about daddy’s driving. He would slow down a long ways before a red light. Drove me crazy! Hahaha Oh, and he would make a COMPLETE stop before making a turn! Hahaha, he was the kind of guy that people cursed out if they were driving behind him.

I used to walk, ride my bike or take public transportation everywhere when I was young. I couldn’t afford a car for the longest time.

Well, I finally got a car. My friend who didn’t have a car either asked me to drive mine. Oh my gosh, he drove like my daddy, slowing down way before a red light. It drove me crazy! I asked him, “Why are you driving like my daddy?” He says, “I don’t like waiting for a long time at red lights so this way it’s a shorter wait.” Geeeeeez!! I told him, “Do you not hear the horns honking and see the long line of cars behind you?” LOL

There are bad drivers out there!

I had a hard time learning to drive my stick shift standard car when I was young but when I got the hang of it I found it fun to drive!
(2)
Report
Needhelpwithmom, I took drivers ed when I was 17 but my mother always took me out every day practicing. She took me on backroads as well as the highway and thruway. I passed my test on the first try.

Having said that, my mother would STILL be driving if her car didn’t die 4 years ago. It literally died. She was to have brakes put on and they said they couldn’t do it because it was all rotted underneath the car. The car was 20 years old.

When she was young she had a lead foot and always went 75 or 80 on the thruway when the speed limit was 65.

When she was 80 and up she stopped driving on the highway and would poke along at 5 miles an hour. People always beeped the horn at her.
(1)
Report
Elaine,

Oh my gosh! There are advantages of being in a walkable neighborhood, right? LOL
(1)
Report
Stacy, this conversation has come up before and I totally agree that we are on a slippery slope when we start discriminating based on age.

I think that teenagers and people under 30 are a greater danger because of texting while driving and I live in a snowbird capital, so I see it everyday. Grandma may be going 25 mph but she is paying complete attention, the youngsters on the other hand are going the speed limit, maybe even speeding but are all over the place with their faces in their phones or 25 cars all following grandma and no vehicles in the other 2 lanes. Because they think they can drive while watching the tail lights.

I will not take my parents freedoms because I don't think they are able to drive based on my personal opinion. The facts are that the authorities will intercede when they become a danger, until then, I pay loads of attention on the road because I don't want to be killed by someone that thinks they can drive and text all while operating a lethal weapon.
(0)
Report
Oh gosh, Real.

Teens can be terrifying! Some younger people are quite responsible too though.

So, yes young and old alike have issues. No one should have restrictions unless it is warranted.

My parents missed driving so much. They lose their independence. Mom could not safely drive with Parkinson’s disease. Mom was a great driver. Daddy never drove after his stroke. Daddy was never a good driver. Hahaha

My uncle should have never been issued a license! LOL

Good points made.
(1)
Report
Let’s be realistic here. Old people text and drive and talk on the phone while driving too. It’s not just young people. Old people also have slower reflexes and slower reactions. I will also argue that a slow driving senior citizen is paying full attention. If the speed limit is 45 and the senior is driving 30MPH holding a line of cars, are they really paying attention? What about the old people who love to pull in to traffic when it’s not safe? And then cruise down the street well below the speed limit. if they were truly paying attention they wouldn’t drive so unsafe.
(3)
Report
I'd be in favor of some kind of retesting for elders, but there would definitely be some problems which a retest would not detect. For example, my LO got a ticket at night on the freeway at a ridiculous speed. She informed me that it was not her fault that by the time her headlights illuminated the speed limit sign, there wasn't enough time to read it! She was obviously outrunning her headlights, didn't seem to understand that fact, and felt the whole thing was not her fault? This scenario and the proclamation that it wasn't her fault would likely not be duplicated in a driving retest, but truly WAS one of many signs that her driving days were numbered. I'm sure she could have passed a standard road test and likely would have sweet-talked everyone at the DMV that she "really only drives to church anyway." (Not true)
(1)
Report
I understand this is an "aging" website and it is often difficult to separate personal frustrations/annoyances with other ideas or opinions.

When I took driving priviledges away that was because thats just how it was going to be as family not as an arm of the government.

The EEOC protects people on the basis o age, gender, etc. Any law that says an elder has different rules is discriminatory.

I have no problem with taking unsafe licenses away as long as the rules apply to everyone not just a portion of the population based om age.
(1)
Report
Oh, I didn't mean to leave you out Cali. You are so right, people in California probably do exactly what you say.

I was referring to what I witness daily in my city and I stand by what I said, it is reality here that the younger age group is more dangerous on the roadways, the statistics prove that.
(1)
Report
There’s so much traffic on the road these days.

Who is old enough to remember when people didn’t wear seatbelts? Or wait? No car seats! It’s amazing that we survived, right?

Mom said that there wasn’t as much traffic then and yeah, I suppose that makes a difference, but still...

Oh, we drove from Louisiana to Florida on the old highways. Do any of you remember life before the interstate? No high speed traffic. That made a huge difference too.
(1)
Report
This discussion has been closed for comment. Start a New Discussion.

Recent Questions


Popular Questions


Related Questions

Start a Discussion
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter