Senior Citizens Should Be Retested

Millions of people drive each day, some heading to work, some to vacation destinations, some to entertainment, and some just for fun. Within these millions, there are all types of drivers; aggressive, passive, new, experienced, and elderly to name a few. The elderly comprise of more than 40 million people age 65 and older in the United States and of those 40 million, 34 million are licensed drivers (NHTSA). Elderly driving has become an alarming subject throughout many communities in the United States as it concerns the safety and health of themselves as well as other drivers. One article shares, as 80-year-old Daniel was driving to the grocery store one day, he ran over a curb and hit a trash can. Luckily he was not hurt and his car suffered only minor scratches. Although unscathed, Daniel was emotionally distraught having almost hit a young woman waiting at the bus stop (Older Drivers). This story as well as many others has triggered a crucial debate about the rights and well-being of senior drivers. Most people believe these older drivers should have an age restriction determining when they should and should not be able drive. However, getting older does not mean people lose all capability to drive. In opposition, driving and health tests should be required at the age of 65 to prove they are capable of safe driving rather than revoking their licenses.

Majority of the information found relates to medical testing (their physical ability to drive). The South Australian My Licence website states that “You will be sent a Certificate of Fitness in the mail and asked to visit a medical practitioner for a medical assessment if: you have a medical condition recorded against your driver’s licence that is subject to a periodic review or you are aged 70 or older and hold a licence for a class of vehicle other than a car e.g. heavy vehicle or motorbike.” The same source also goes on to state that a practical driving assessment is then required “if your medical practitioner feels it is necessary to help determine your fitness to drive. It is a short drive of about 30 minutes; it is not the same as the test that new learner drivers undergo to obtain their provisional licence…. It primarily looks at the ability of the driver to control the vehicle and demonstrate safe driving on the road in light to medium traffic while complying with road rules.” This source validates this key finding as it is evident that there is no compulsory ability test for car class licence holders as they age to elderly drivers, however there is the possibility of sitting a test dependent on medical conditions. This in turn helps to answer as to whether elderly drivers should have road rules specifically applying to

Have you ever been driving and stuck behind an elderly person that was driving 10km under the speed limit? If so, you can feel the frustration that most drivers' face. Yearly driving tests should be mandatory because many people come from other countries and assume they know how to drive on our roads and road conditions, they should be tested again to see if they actually know how to drive in our country and kids with learners should be tested again in their second year to see if they still know the laws and to prove they didn't just forget them to go drive around and break the

Some people think that seniors should be required to retake the driving test because they think that with age comes decreased vision, hearing, and reaction time. This is certainly true to a certain extent because this occurs to different people at different speeds. I think that once a person reaches about 75 they should have annual appointments for vision and hearing tests, and if they don’t do to well then they should be required to retake the driving test.

why an annual mandatory driving and written test will separate those who can and can not operate a vehicle safely. These tests should be mandatory over a certain age. The driving test is important to better access relexes and other senses while the written test may seperate those who maintained psychical abilites yet lack in other ability such as memory and if raod signs and rules of the road are still familior. According to Alzheimer 's Society many indivduals with dementia may still be able to drive for some time until their dementia progresses. Part of the problem is that many older drivers feel that driving is a largely automatic activity and should be able to continue. The Alzheimer 's Society also states that many with dementia retain their learned skills even after being diagnosed, and that "driving is a complicated task that requires a split-second combination of complex thought processes and manual skills, such as “make sense of and respond to everything they see – including road signs and obstacles” ( Alzheimers Society)

However, “frail” is a stereotype for the elderly and is a reoccurring term in both Yoffe’s editorial and in Arai’s research. This stereotype damages the driver’s confidence in their ability to drive and leads to more indecisiveness when driving, as explained by Mélanie Joanisse in “Overly Cautious and Dangerous: An Empirical Evidence of the Older Driver Stereotypes.” Using a simulator much like the one presented in the editorial “Hell’s Grannies,” researchers showed senior citizens clips and articles containing negative stereotypes towards elderly drivers. The researches then told the elderly subjects to drive, and the results are similar to the findings stated previously. The editorial shares scenarios of what could and has happened during the process of taking away someone’s license. One story Yoffe tells is of her fellow writer’s mom who is slowly losing her mental capability. When talking to her mother about the possibility of taking away her license, the mother said, “‘I’ve been driving since I was 16’. So the family backed off” (Slate). If she is becoming a risk to herself and others, then the family needs to take action; however, going against a loved one, especially an older one and is consider taboo in many non-western cultures. To not listen to elderly loved-ones invokes disrespect and ungratefulness to them which is

In conclusion, the age for driving should remain the same. It teaches responsibility if more stricter laws are enforced and adults can lead by example. Parents feel like it is their time to learn so parents can focus on what they need to do, but so that the busy teens can get things done that they need to without having to call a parent to pick them up. It is now time for parents to let their children grow up, learn to drive and teach their children the right way to make everyone safer on the road. Thus, referring back to leading by

Families of drivers who were injured, or worse, by elderly drivers also have a stake in this debate. In a news article by ABC News, a mother calls for greater action on elderly drivers after her 22-year-old son, Dann, is killed by an 87-year-old driver who “[had] failed to see Dann coming and turned directly into his path.” (Atkin, 2017). The mother, named Sue Jenkins, stated “we are second-class citizens because the independence of the elderly driver is more important than our right to expect other drivers on the roads to be competent.” (Atkin, 2017). Ms. Jenkins statement summarizes the position of many families of drivers injured, or worse, by senior drivers. Again, these stakeholders agree on the fact and definition of elderly drivers,

“An eighty-six year old man killed ten people and injured more than seventy when he drove his Buick into a crowded farmers market in California. In Florida, an eighty-four year old woman drove her car through a window of a Sears and into a cash register and employee” (Murphy). Sadly enough, instances like these are becoming more and more prevalent and require immediate action. It is imperative that a more comprehensive approach be taken when deciding the competence of elderly drivers. Laws must be put into action to mandate and administer testing and re-examining of the skills and eligibility of this group. Equally important, we must consider those who will no longer be able to drive, and ensure their transportation and occupational needs

Many concerns have been expressed about the potential dangers elderly drivers present when operating a vehicle. Mental and physical capabilities begin to decline as a person ages. When their health deteriorates, the well being of other individuals on the road is at stake. Many elderly drivers should not drive due to their medical history and the fact that they might suffer from possible side effects from taking multiple prescription medicines. In addition, local organizations and neighbors can provide transportation for the elderly to keep them from endangering themselves and others. The threat senior citizens create when driving can be avoided if they are tested to ensure their competence as a driver.

I think elderly drivers should be testing twice a year depending of their age. Driving has a lot of responsibility as you get older you reflex are not the same your eye vision stars going blurry I think after 65 of age the public safety should have more programs and more testing for their physical and their medical history sometimes know they don’t have a choice family members won’t help them to take them to doctors appoint.t

As we age, our driving skills may diminish. This varies by the individual, thus there is no reason to put laws into place that state a person can no longer drive after a certain age. Driving remains a symbol of a person's independence and freedom, thus the removal of a person's license should never be taken lately.

All people including the elderly, should have to go do a driving test if, they have been involved in at least two accidents within the same year. Plus, these people should have to take a refresser driver’s education class.

In 2012 there was an average of 36 million licensed drivers over the age of 65. In that same year, more than 5,560 were involved in fatal car crashes, and 214,000 in a non-fatal accident(Older Adult Drivers). While each state has its own requirements for when the elderly must retake their driving exam, the majority of them don’t require it until the age of 75(License Renewal). We should modulate that age, and cut back on the time frame for how often they must retest. We should start the process at the age of 50, and make the retest every 5 years. The decline may be different for everyone, affecting individuals at differing ages. We would still be able to safeguard a vast amount of lives by doing this. And they should not be condemned for their shortcomings, most times it’s entirely their mental state decreasing(Senior Citizens Driving). And other times it’s possibly a medical issue. Such as diabetes, which causes numb feet, making the driver no longer competent enough to feel the pedals beneath them(Facts And Research).

Granny, I know you’ve never been in an accident, but Lord knows how many you’ve caused! Although I love my grandmother dearly, I must admit that a few of my grey hairs are courtesy of her driving. As the years passed, my grandmother’s driving progressively got worse. However, there is no test administered to the elderly which determines whether or not they are fit to drive. While my Granny was creating mayhem on the streets, I realized how much a drivers’ test for the elderly was needed. Elderly drivers impose possible threats on others, as well as themselves, and could also be paying excess money on unnecessary insurance.