100-year-old Driver Hits 11 People—Time to Re-Test Elderly Drivers?
A low speed accident outside a Los Angeles elementary school once again raises the question of whether stricter requirements should be enforced for elderly drivers. Eleven people were injured mid-afternoon August 29 when the 100 year-old man backed out of a grocery parking lot all the way to the nearby school that recently ended the day. Nine of the victims hit were children, four of which were taken to the hospital and are in critical condition.
The man claimed his brakes failed in his gray Cadillac as he was reversing. He is required to wear corrective lenses, but has an otherwise clean driving record. Witnesses said they chased the car, banging on the windows, urging the driver to do something to stop. The driver claims the vehicle was out of control.
While the man was not ticketed at the scene, his license is set to expire September 5. His daughter has said she asked her father to stop driving in the past. The family of the man has said he will not be driving anymore. They still insist he is of sound mind.
Generally speaking, the most dangerous demographics of drivers are the very young and the very old. Teen drivers have little experience in traffic and as a result can be either overly confident or very nervous. They are often easily distracted and can make poor decisions on the road. Even so, many horrible young drivers will gain the experience to be safe drivers down the line.
Young drivers, especially those who start at 15, have classes, required supervised driving time and multiple tests to pass before gaining autonomy as a licensed driver. The growing sentiment is to require elderly drivers to have similar driving tests when their licensed is renewed. The license would also have to be renewed more frequently, as much as every year or two. Other ideas include a cut-off age for operating a vehicle.
Elderly drivers have problems like declining reaction time, worsening depth perception and possible medications that make operating heavy machinery, like a car, a very dangerous task for them and those around them. California requires those over the age of 70 to take a written test and eye exam every five years.
New Hampshire is the one state to require a road test for those 75 and older who want to maintain a valid driver's license. The test may also be required for drivers who incite concerns over their ability before age 75. The law also facilitates a conversation between elderly drivers and their loved ones about whether they feel they can pass the road test.
Part of accident prevention is to have a conversation with your aging loved ones about their driving abilities. Sometimes the best way to avoid a car accident is to take the keys away. In the case of the 100 year-old man in Los Angeles, his license will simply be allowed to expire.
The man claimed his brakes failed in his gray Cadillac as he was reversing. He is required to wear corrective lenses, but has an otherwise clean driving record. Witnesses said they chased the car, banging on the windows, urging the driver to do something to stop. The driver claims the vehicle was out of control.
While the man was not ticketed at the scene, his license is set to expire September 5. His daughter has said she asked her father to stop driving in the past. The family of the man has said he will not be driving anymore. They still insist he is of sound mind.
Generally speaking, the most dangerous demographics of drivers are the very young and the very old. Teen drivers have little experience in traffic and as a result can be either overly confident or very nervous. They are often easily distracted and can make poor decisions on the road. Even so, many horrible young drivers will gain the experience to be safe drivers down the line.
Young drivers, especially those who start at 15, have classes, required supervised driving time and multiple tests to pass before gaining autonomy as a licensed driver. The growing sentiment is to require elderly drivers to have similar driving tests when their licensed is renewed. The license would also have to be renewed more frequently, as much as every year or two. Other ideas include a cut-off age for operating a vehicle.
Elderly drivers have problems like declining reaction time, worsening depth perception and possible medications that make operating heavy machinery, like a car, a very dangerous task for them and those around them. California requires those over the age of 70 to take a written test and eye exam every five years.
New Hampshire is the one state to require a road test for those 75 and older who want to maintain a valid driver's license. The test may also be required for drivers who incite concerns over their ability before age 75. The law also facilitates a conversation between elderly drivers and their loved ones about whether they feel they can pass the road test.
Part of accident prevention is to have a conversation with your aging loved ones about their driving abilities. Sometimes the best way to avoid a car accident is to take the keys away. In the case of the 100 year-old man in Los Angeles, his license will simply be allowed to expire.
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