[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by Pointer

I think that when there is a dangerous situation one should report it no matter the age of the occupant. Having said that; I often hear that the elderly shouldn't drive but then it turns out to be someone younger, lol my age on down. It's good to remember that this is a retirement community with a speed limit of 35 and 15 in the roundabouts for a reason. We often have to contend with people still in the "rat race" visiting and having to adjust to our slower pace. Many people think that their golf cart is safer then it is, and make it go faster then is recommended or legal too. I guess what I'm saying is we all have our short comings and quirks and need to be alert when driving on the road and in parking lots. If it's not some old folk walking behind your car it could be a young kid no matter where you live.

Excellent and totally agree Backing out at Publix is enough to turn you grey in an instant. I can never understand people who continue walking when they see your car moving - don't they realize their lives are at stake. I have eyes in the back of my head when I am walking through a parking lot ..........

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by Daddymac

and with an aging population you will see more of this. This is something that has to be looked into, before a young family gets killed

And you define young as....


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[dbussone]

Originally Posted by Retiring

AARP is a powerful lobby and squashes any talk of taking a driving test after a certain age. Many have to die before the subject is raised in the FL media and it will still go nowhere.



My dad is 80 and I have noticed his driving abilities are not what they were 20 years ago. But if you ask him, he’ll tell you he’s the best driver this side of the equator.



Cars mean freedom to all of us and the thought on not driving is more than most can handle, including me. At the very least maybe we can get a law requiring an elder driving test after they kill someone. Before everyone starts getting defensive, yes I would also require a road test for a 20 year old found negligent in a vehicular death.



I’m 55 and I would be naïve to think my reflexes are what they were when I was 30.

But, hopefully, you are wiser and not as foolish as you were at 30.


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[rivaridger1]

Okay, guys and girls, at what age do any of you think appropriate to lift a license and lock people into their houses dependent on " senior services " for the basics in life. We all know whatever your age your driving skills will not have diminished, until they do, and they will not be evident to you when that happens. Tell everyone on this forum at what age you will voluntarily surrender your drivers license without the intervention of the " state ". Tell us what " medical conditions " will prompt that decision if they effect your ability to drive prior to the mandatory cut off. Put it in writing so your children know when they should demand your keys.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by rivaridger1

Okay, guys and girls, at what age do any of you think appropriate to lift a license and lock people into their houses dependent on " senior services " for the basics in life. We all know whatever your age your driving skills will not have diminished, until they do, and they will not be evident to you when that happens. Tell everyone on this forum at what age you will voluntarily surrender your drivers license without the intervention of the " state ". Tell us what " medical conditions " will prompt that decision if they effect your ability to drive prior to the mandatory cut off. Put it in writing so your children know when they should demand your keys.

That's the whole point of having mandatory driving tests on a regular basis once you reach a certain age. If you are shown to be incapable of driving safely, you lose your license. It's not down to you or your family making the decision.

[Daddymac]

Your grandchildren!!!!

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

I agree that some of our elderly residents shouldn't be driving.
But at least old people aren't likely to be texting while they drive!

Not texting, but most are still oblivious to anything going on around them, thinking they are the only one on the road. Everyone 70 and older needs to be re-tested to continue operating any motor vehicle.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by Retiring

AARP is a powerful lobby and squashes any talk of taking a driving test after a certain age. Many have to die before the subject is raised in the FL media and it will still go nowhere.

My dad is 80 and I have noticed his driving abilities are not what they were 20 years ago. But if you ask him, he’ll tell you he’s the best driver this side of the equator.

Cars mean freedom to all of us and the thought on not driving is more than most can handle, including me. At the very least maybe we can get a law requiring an elder driving test after they kill someone. Before everyone starts getting defensive, yes I would also require a road test for a 20 year old found negligent in a vehicular death.

I’m 55 and I would be naïve to think my reflexes are what they were when I was 30.

In Illinois you must take a driving test when you reach 75. In addition, eye test and written rules of the road exam. Florida test?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by dbussone

But, hopefully, you are wiser and not as foolish as you were at 30.


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... and not as immortal, either.

[Gene Babb]

Can't wait for the self driving cars to be on the road. It will literally be a lifesaver for all of us. It will provide independence, dignity and safety for all. And allow everyone to be mobile for years after this would have normally been taken away.

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by Gene Babb

Can't wait for the self driving cars to be on the road. It will literally be a lifesaver for all of us. It will provide independence, dignity and safety for all. And allow everyone to be mobile for years after this would have normally been taken away.

As the old saying goes, "Pride goes before a fall". Too many people are too proud to say that they are quitting or that they need to do so. Too many are too arrogant and continue to slam the older drivers when they are often more dangerous. Just like anything else, some are still capable at a very late age and some are never capable from the time they get a license.

Family should ride whenever possible with the older drivers as observers and make decisions based on those observations. If your kids are like mine, they will have no qualms on telling you what they think about most anything you do. So far, they have said nothing about my driving. They do laugh when I say something about our heavy traffic. They live in Jacksonville and think this traffic is nothing. I beg to differ.

As for the testing, anyone at any age who receives a citation for a moving violation, should be required to be retested. Maybe just the thought of having to be would be incentive to change their attitudes and habits. Many think that just because they are licensed in another state, the rules shouldn't apply to them. The should, if they want to drive here.

I couldn't help but notice when the driver that hit and killed the two ladies in the golf cart had a medical event and jumped the curb on 466, all the remarks and rants about all the "old" drivers that shouldn't be behind the wheel came to a screeching halt when it came out that he was 54.

As for the dummies that walk behind cars that are pulling out of parking spaces, are they just that privileged or just plain dumb? Why is it necessary to drive through the parking lots like they are on the street, too? It's a parking lot!! Cars are not there by others on a permanent basis for decoration. One lady went so far as to come tearing between me and the space I had just backed out of, and before I could change gears to go forward, went between me and the space, along the line of the other cars parked, only to slam on her brakes at the stop sign because there was traffic on the street. Unbelievable!! She was not old, either.

As for the self driving cars, you might have a very valid point. I, for one, would love it. Next problem would be to afford one. They just need to be sure they can't be souped up the same way some do their carts.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by Retiring

AARP is a powerful lobby and squashes any talk of taking a driving test after a certain age. Many have to die before the subject is raised in the FL media and it will still go nowhere.

I am sure you carefully searched the policy position of the AARP on this issue of retesting the elderly or you would not have made such a strong condemnation of the organization. Or maybe you are just presenting alternative facts.

I think the AARP is supportive of research into the issue of how to get older [or any] unqualified driver off the road and is open to finding what methods would accomplish this goal, including extra scrutiny of the older driver. Why do I think this is true? Because I looked it up.

The AARP endorsed a 2010 change in Massachusetts law that permits doctors to anonymously report patients to motor registration for action if the doctor believes the driver should not be licensed anymore.

So now I await your reply showing where the AARP squashes any talk of retesting the elderly driver

There are two states that require a road test for older drivers. If you are interested in reality based facts you can read a detailed study of the success or non-success of that program from the NHTSA from 2013. Spoiler alert, the number of accidents per number of elderly in the population did not change. Pay attention to the analysis on page 99 but a complete reading of the report including its limitations is useful.

Take a look at the photo and tell me what two states have the road test? If the road test removes bad drivers those two states should have significant drops in accident rates after age 75 not seen elsewhere.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by blueash

I am sure you carefully searched the policy position of the AARP on this issue of retesting the elderly or you would not have made such a strong condemnation of the organization. Or maybe you are just presenting alternative facts.

I think the AARP is supportive of research into the issue of how to get older [or any] unqualified driver off the road and is open to finding what methods would accomplish this goal, including extra scrutiny of the older driver. Why do I think this is true? Because I looked it up.

The AARP endorsed a 2010 change in Massachusetts law that permits doctors to anonymously report patients to motor registration for action if the doctor believes the driver should not be licensed anymore.

So now I await your reply showing where the AARP squashes any talk of retesting the elderly driver

There are two states that require a road test for older drivers. If you are interested in reality based facts you can read a detailed study of the success or non-success of that program from the NHTSA from 2013. Spoiler alert, the number of accidents per number of elderly in the population did not change. Pay attention to the analysis on page 99 but a complete reading of the report including its limitations is useful.

Take a look at the photo and tell me what two states have the road test? If the road test removes bad drivers those two states should have significant drops in accident rates after age 75 not seen elsewhere.

Well put ............. I think that deserves a

[Retiring]

Originally Posted by blueash

I am sure you carefully searched the policy position of the AARP on this issue of retesting the elderly or you would not have made such a strong condemnation of the organization. Or maybe you are just presenting alternative facts.

I think the AARP is supportive of research into the issue of how to get older [or any] unqualified driver off the road and is open to finding what methods would accomplish this goal, including extra scrutiny of the older driver. Why do I think this is true? Because I looked it up.

The AARP endorsed a 2010 change in Massachusetts law that permits doctors to anonymously report patients to motor registration for action if the doctor believes the driver should not be licensed anymore.

So now I await your reply showing where the AARP squashes any talk of retesting the elderly driver

There are two states that require a road test for older drivers. If you are interested in reality based facts you can read a detailed study of the success or non-success of that program from the NHTSA from 2013. Spoiler alert, the number of accidents per number of elderly in the population did not change. Pay attention to the analysis on page 99 but a complete reading of the report including its limitations is useful.

Take a look at the photo and tell me what two states have the road test? If the road test removes bad drivers those two states should have significant drops in accident rates after age 75 not seen elsewhere.

My mom worked as a seamstress at a nursing home for 30 yrs. One resident was 106 and drove herself regularly. I don’t know if it’s discrimination or not but I believe the 106 year old should be required to take a road test, specifically because of her age.

I went to school in Daytona Beach in the mid 80’s. I recall an elderly gentleman drove through a bus stop killing many somewhere in S. FL. When the cops caught up to him he had no idea where he was or what he had done. The event created a push for age based tests and I recall like it was yesterday the fight AARP put up. I realize that was long ago and AARP may have changed their position, but I’ve seen nothing to prove that. As for their position on their website, I could not find anything that showed they were for age based driving tests. However, in fairness, I’m not a member so I don’t have access to their entire website.

A couple excerpts from one article:

“As drivers reach 70 years of age, their rates of accidents and fatal crashes per mile driven rise and sometimes surpass levels of the youngest, most accident-prone drivers. Drivers 85 years and older have the highest rate of fatal accidents per miles driven of any age group, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.”

“AARP policy opposes age-based driver testing that is not based on scientific evidence.”

<< Calls and email requests for comment from AARP were not returned. >>

<< A 2012 federal study found that almost two-thirds of all pedal errors — where the driver mistakes the gas pedal for the brake, similar to the Livermore accident — involve young and elderly women, and the highest percentage was women 75 or older. >>

I realize this is a sensitive topic in a senior community. No one is suggesting simply taking a persons DL away. All that is suggested here is at a certain point one needs to stop thinking of a driving as a right and realize it’s a privilege. I fly airplanes for a living. I also plan to fly in retirement. The FAA requires me to test annually now and bi-annually when I retire and fly small planes. Why is it wrong to request the same of those in cars??

Should older drivers undergo road tests to keep licenses? – The Mercury News

[Challenger]

Slippery Slopres-- Maybe we should:
retest annually those who have active diabetes, have had substance abuse citations, have previously had auto accidents in which they we adjudicated responsible, suffer from coronary disease, etc, etc, etc. where does it stop. "Just askin"