Aging and driving?

[Jack]

Everytime I see an old person peaking over the wheel of a car, I start to get scared. Especially, when they're driving slow and can't see. Should drivers require physicals/eye exams regularly to keep up their driver's license?

[markar]

It'e even worse when you ride a motorcycle and you see them stop and stare directly at you. Then proceed to turn left into your path at about 1 mph!

The eye exams that they do give here are a joke. When we moved to OK 9 years ago, we had to take exams at the license office to get OK licenses. We were just out walking when we came across an agent so figured we might as well get it taken care of. Except I didn't have my contacts in and I can't see squat over 10 feet away without them. Passed the "exam' with flying colors though, at least good enough to get a license. And no vision restrictions. She just kept making everything bigger till I could see the letters. Probably didn't want to have to tell anybody they couldn't get a license or get renewed.

[mranderson]

Everytime I see an old person peaking over the wheel of a car, I start to get scared. Especially, when they're driving slow and can't see. Should drivers require physicals/eye exams regularly to keep up their driver's license?

Yes.

[Midtowner]

It's not as much vision as the reduced capacity to react to things as we get older. A lot of old folks on the road are driving more impaired than I'd be after slamming about 8 beers.

I'd like to see mandatory biannual retesting to keep your driver's license after 75 or so. Living downtown, seeing some clueless senior driving the wrong way down one of our one way streets is a daily occurance.

[Patrick]

I agree. Mandatory retesting every few years once you hit a certain age would be great. But, again comes a problem....cost.

[Midtowner]

Well, the driving 'testers' are already in place. At worst, what would we have? Seniors taking their tests while the kids are still in school? I think it could be worked out pretty easily. I'm not convinced that it has to be that much of an ordeal.

How about the other problem -- cost of not doing it?

[Patrick]

Good point. I'm curious how car insurance rates would change if seniors were retested every few years.

[Keith]

I agree. Mandatory retesting every few years once you hit a certain age would be great. But, again comes a problem....cost.

I really believe that once they hit the retirement age (65), they should be retested. They should take the written and the driving test. I can almost guarantee you that the majority wouldn't pass. Their hearing is gone and their sight is going.

Most of the time when I get behind someone doing about 10-15 mph less than the speed limit, it is usually an elderly driver.....the ones who can't see over the steering wheel and look straight ahead no matter what. They are the same ones that change lanes without looking (because they can't see good anyway), and hope that they don't hit someone.

Martha: "My, my, Mary, I sure feel old today."
Mary: "Why do you say that? You are only 75 years old."
Martha: "Yes but I can't hardly see anymore...my hearing is just about gone....I have had both knees replaced.....I can't hardly move my arms, I have arthritus in both hands, and my kneck is so stick all the time, I can't hardly turn it around."
Mary: "Yes, that does limit you on what you can do, doesn't it?
Martha: "That is so true....but at least they let me still drive."
Unfortunately, this is such a true story.

[Jack]

One thing I do have to point out though. How do you expect these elderly folks to get to doctor's appointments, the grocery store, etc. when their families live out of town?

[Jay]

What I would like to see is for the state and the entire country to up the driving age to 18. You could still get a learners permit at 16 so you could get the needed experience to drive a car. Who knows doing this might drastically drop the gas prices. It might even drop the price of car insurance as well.



I think more than just the elderly should be retested. I see people all the time making driving mistakes that are just flat out stupid.



I think anytime you are in a collision, damage property with your vehicle or an officer stops you for doing something that is blatantly unsafe. The officer should have the power to request that you retake the written and or road test exam.



Then you would have from the time of the incident until you go to court to retest. If you disagree with the officer’s recommendation, you can go to court and plead your case explaining why you disagree with retesting.



If the court found in the officer’s favor, the state suspends your license until you retest.



I think it would be wrong just to test the elderly. I see people of all ages driving unsafely. I know sometimes in the morning on the Lake Hefner Parkway I see people that act like there competing in a NASCAR race. Then you have everybody else that drives as if his or her car is on autopilot.

[Midtowner]

Why that'll never happen (what oklacity75 said): The AARP

This group not only represents the largest block of voters (and they actually show up to vote every time!), it also is a major power player when it comes to campaign finance. Very few politicians (okay, almost none who aren't lame ducks) will ever take this group on, let alone vote in a majority to do something that they don't like.

As for the 16-18 'special permit', it already exists in some respect. Here's the relevent statute:

http://www.oscn.net/applications/osc...?citeID=437307

As for the qualifications, that'll take another step in research -- someone will have to see what the OKDPS has decided are the rules for this special permit are (as that discretion was left up to them in the statute). If someone cares, they can look it up.