McConnellsburg couple hospitalized after crash

Glad Ms. Heller is ok. More elderly drivers again. Harrisburg won't have them get tested because they are a powerful voting bloc, which is a shame.

We are Rome wrote:

Glad Ms. Heller is ok. More elderly drivers again. Harrisburg won't have them get tested because they are a powerful voting bloc, which is a shame.

Family doctors can recommend to PennDot that a person's license be revoked, but they rarely do. If you are concerned about a family member's driving ability, write a letter to PENNDoT explaining your concern. Include the necessary information such as name , address, your relationship to the individual and whatever else you believe to be pertinent information. PennDot will, upon request, send a letter to the individual requiring them to report to their nearest driver examination center for testing. To say Harrisburg won't have them get tested is not accurate. Harrisburg will require them to be tested if they are asked to do so. I speak from personal experience. I'm sure my legally blind father would have continued to drive had I not taken the necessary steps to prevent him from hurting/killing himself or someone else. His family doctor wasn't much help. He couldn't even diagnose dementia.

disagree wrote:

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To say Harrisburg won't have them get tested is not accurate. Harrisburg will require them to be tested if they are asked to do so.

Agree. Harrisburg can't watch every elderly driver on the road to determine whether they are capable of driving. And there are many elderly folks who are fully trustworthy behind the wheel. From experience, I can tell you that writing a letter as disagree has suggested will incur less wrath from the elder driver who loses their license than actually trying to handle it yourself, too.

This could have happened to anyone. Why is it that everyone blames the elderly. What about the people on there cell phones, teenager, and anyone else. This is a common mistake that could have be done by any aged driver.

McCbg wrote:

This could have happened to anyone. Why is it that everyone blames the elderly. What about the people on there cell phones, teenager, and anyone else. This is a common mistake that could have be done by any aged driver.

What you say is true. It could happen to anyone. The likelihood of the collision being caused by an elderly driver is higher because of (1)older eyes,(2) slower reflexes (3)trouble judging speed of oncoming traffic and (4)misjudging distance between vehicles. Then again, the lady driving the van could have been speeding or may have been distracted and didn't see the truck turning in time to avoid the collision. Whatever happened, I hope everyone recovers.

Perhaps the investigating authorities in this incident and the accident last week in Waynesboro involving yet another elderly driver could offer recommendations to the state regarding their educated observations of such accidents. While it is always responsible of a family member to suggest to the state that someone be tested due to health concerns, the police are also responsible for the safety of the citizens and could offer their opinions as well. What really scares me is the times I see elderly people in the grocery store or the bank or the doctor's office whose mobility is dependent on canes or walkers and then those same individuals GET INTO A VEHICLE AND DRIVE!! This cannot be a good thing. Just the other week at Robinwood in Hagerstown, I saw a couple, obviously married, who were putting their wheelchair and walker into the trunk of their car! I was terrified. Who has oversight for these kinds of drivers?

I followed a big, brown Buick doing 50 MPH (only slightly below the speed limit) on Route 30 this morning, and courtesy of the oncoming headlights, I noticed that the driver was barely tall enough to see over the dashboard.

Have you ever noticed that elderly drivers don't drive little cars? If that person hits somebody, they will be relatively safe, but whomever they hit will have some damage.

I hope they are ok god will be by there side