Is it safe for really old people to drive?

Intersections most dangerous for older drivers
Poor vision, slower reactions blamed for increased wreck risks after age 80
Older drivers prone to pulling into traffic
March 19: A report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concludes that drivers over the age of 80 are significantly more likely to cause accidents at intersections. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
Mon., March. 19, 2007
A study suggest the oldest drivers have the hardest time dealing with intersections.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studied a number of wrecks at intersections It found that once a driver reaches the age of 80, the chances of having a wreck by pulling into traffic increases dramatically.

Institute researcher Anne McCartt says 37 percent of the crashes involving drivers 70 to 79 years old were blamed on failure to yield, meaning the driver pulled out into traffic.

She says that percentage jumps to 58 percent for drivers 80 and older.

McCartt says there could be a number of factors for the increase, including slower reaction time, some confusion and poorer eyesight.

The Institute is recommending more left turn lanes and arrows at intersections and roundabouts, which not only slow oncoming traffic — they also have traffic flowing in the same direction.

THE PROBLEM:

The problems with elderly drivers continue to escalate as more and more accidents involving the elderly are being reported. With little legislation restricting dangerous elderly drivers, it is clear that changes need to be made in order to keep dangerous drivers off of Michigan roads.

REAL LIFE SCENARIOS

The concern of the nation regarding the safety of elderly drivers continues to rise. Stories, like the one reported by The Detroit Free Press, of the 96-year-old Detroit man adds fuel to this matter. Members of his family repeatedly tried to convince him to stop driving because he kept crashing into a tree next to the driveway. So, how did he respond? Rather than stop driving, he chopped down the tree. Another story involves an elderly Michigan resident that started out her driverÌs test by backing up into a building, crashing through a window, and sending three people to the hospital.

There was an award-winning movie that aired a few years back called Driving Miss Daisy. It was about a proud elderly lady who could no longer drive. After unsuccessful attempts at public transportation, her son hires her a chauffeur. However, outside of the movies, this isn't a very realistic alternative for elderly drivers that need to retire their licenses. Concerned family members of elderly drivers seem to be very persistent in attempting to get their relatives to hand over their keys, but feel that they are taking away possibly the only freedom that they have left, the freedom to drive.

I will use my great-grandmother as an example of this situation. At the tender age of 80, my family felt that along with her eyesight and hearing, her driver's license must go as well. At first she resisted, arguing that she was fine on the roads. I personally confessed to her that she needed to stop driving, she replied with, "I have never gotten a ticket or into an accident." I then replied with, "but Great-Oma, how many accidents have you caused?" She refused to reply. My family decided to just start making sure that we did everything for her so she wouldn't feel the need to drive anywhere. Eventually, she got the point that she really did need to park her car for good.

Joe Highley wrote:

<quoted text>Driving is not a right, stupid. It's a privilege. If you ever decide to stop being a moron the world will be much happier. Also, if you ever decide to type using lower case letters, your spell check might work. You should try it. That way you don't look so retarded when you're trying to convince people that you're smart. By the way, my boss is a Jew. Nazis don't work for Jews. Of course that is probably above your limit of understanding as you seem unaware of reality and all that it entails.

You are not worth spell check.And are U sure you are competant enough to walk and talk let alone drive.Mybe you should be looked into,could you pass the written?First try.......LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO LOL

DEERFAHITAS wrote:

<quoted text>You are not worth spell check.And are U sure you are competant enough to walk and talk let alone drive.Mybe you should be looked into,could you pass the written?First try.......LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO LOL

You're not worth talking to. Idiot.

Joe Highley wrote:

<quoted text>You're not worth talking to. Idiot.

So Why are you talkin idiot?

Summerseve wrote:

<quoted text>So Why are you talkin idiot?

Doesn't surprise me, though. I don't know anyone from Louisiana that isn't some kind of freakin' fruitcake.

Joe Highley wrote:

<quoted text>Doesn't surprise me, though. I don't know anyone from Louisiana that isn't some kind of freakin' fruitcake.

No fruitcakes are from Califorinia,but I have heard you have some fruits&nuts of your own in potatoe country.MMM very interestin maybe Im talkin wit one?Are you a fruit or a nut?Dont make me guess. ;)

I guess I'm not the only one that thinks old people shouldn't be driving. I would never go to an extreme like this psycho. I wouldn't even give them the bird. I just wish they'd find an alternative mode of transportation:

INDIANAPOLIS -- A woman was arrested Wednesday night in a road rage beating of an elderly woman.

Jessica Vasquez, 19, was taken into custody after she assaulted Evelyn Page, 81, who she thought was driving slowly in the 6200 block of South Meridian Street, on Indianapolis' south side.

Police said Vasquez sped around Page and then slammed on her brakes, forcing the elderly woman to stop. Vasquez jumped out of her car, opened the driver's-side door of Page's car and began beating her.

Police said the victim tried to get away, but that Vasquez pulled her out of the car and continued beating her, forcing her to fall into two lanes of traffic.

Page's face was bloodied and her leg was broken in 14 places. She will also have to undergo knee replacement.

"This is a crime that is outrageous, something that we don't normally see," said IMPD Detective Wendall Daniel. "We don't normally see a female, 19 years old, beating an 81-year-old woman."

Witnesses followed Vasquez's car as she sped away and were able to give police a license number, which led to her arrest. "It was through the help of a lot of Good Samaritans today that we were able to put this case together so quickly," Daniel said. "We had civilians who saw this and stopped to help the victim."

Vasquez expressed remorse in a profanity-laced interview with 6News as she was taken to a police station. "I don't have anything to explain to you," Vasquez said. "I hope she's feeling better tomorrow."

Witnesses told police that Vasquez had as many as three young children in her car when the incident occurred.

Source: theindychannel.com

Joe Highley wrote:

I guess I'm not the only one that thinks old people shouldn't be driving. I would never go to an extreme like this psycho. I wouldn't even give them the bird. I just wish they'd find an alternative mode of transportation:
INDIANAPOLIS -- A woman was arrested Wednesday night in a road rage beating of an elderly woman.
Jessica Vasquez, 19, was taken into custody after she assaulted Evelyn Page, 81, who she thought was driving slowly in the 6200 block of South Meridian Street, on Indianapolis' south side.
Police said Vasquez sped around Page and then slammed on her brakes, forcing the elderly woman to stop. Vasquez jumped out of her car, opened the driver's-side door of Page's car and began beating her.
Police said the victim tried to get away, but that Vasquez pulled her out of the car and continued beating her, forcing her to fall into two lanes of traffic.
Page's face was bloodied and her leg was broken in 14 places. She will also have to undergo knee replacement.
"This is a crime that is outrageous, something that we don't normally see," said IMPD Detective Wendall Daniel. "We don't normally see a female, 19 years old, beating an 81-year-old woman."
Witnesses followed Vasquez's car as she sped away and were able to give police a license number, which led to her arrest. "It was through the help of a lot of Good Samaritans today that we were able to put this case together so quickly," Daniel said. "We had civilians who saw this and stopped to help the victim."
Vasquez expressed remorse in a profanity-laced interview with 6News as she was taken to a police station. "I don't have anything to explain to you," Vasquez said. "I hope she's feeling better tomorrow."
Witnesses told police that Vasquez had as many as three young children in her car when the incident occurred.
Source: theindychannel.com

Hey highly did ya catch the Kentucky derby?Did ya see what happened to the 2nd. place winner the filly?And you should be so proud of the woman who feels the way you do about the elderly you should be so lucky.Bull dog fights still look bad to you?The shattered ankles are only what you happened to see in a public forumn punk!

Summerseve wrote:

<quoted text>Hey highly did ya catch the Kentucky derby?Did ya see what happened to the 2nd. place winner the filly?And you should be so proud of the woman who feels the way you do about the elderly you should be so lucky.Bull dog fights still look bad to you?The shattered ankles are only what you happened to see in a public forumn punk!

It looks like you and I are just going to have to accept each other. It's obvious that you're going to follow me around and I'm not going to stay off of Topix. Truce.

Joe Highley wrote:

<quoted text>It looks like you and I are just going to have to accept each other. It's obvious that you're going to follow me around and I'm not going to stay off of Topix. Truce.

Thank-you Joe You are truly a bigger man .....

Okay. Who said it's safe for really old people to drive? It's not. You know it and I know it. Be honest for the truth shall set you free.

Joe...I'm sure that when it comes time for you to turn in your keys you'll gladly do it, and i'm sure you will know exactly when that day comes.

Joe Highley wrote:

Yesterday I watched an old lady cause another person to slam on their brakes to avoid colliding into her. She pulled out in front of everybody and went across two lanes. Then she just continued on like nothing happened. DANGEROUS.

Back2U wrote:

Joe...I'm sure that when it comes time for you to turn in your keys you'll gladly do it, and i'm sure you will know exactly when that day comes.
<quoted text>

Don't get all sarcastic. If you're offended you're probably part of the problem. Have a nice day and please stop driving.

Okay Joe, you've got a point....SOME old people can't drive worth a darn, and yes, it is a problem. However, arbitrarily taking away the driver's license of anyone over XX years old is not the answer.

Some states have instituted a requirement for anyone over XX years must take an actual driving test every 5 years, and then every 3 years after a certain point, and finally beyond XX years, they must take the driving test every year. I am fully in favor of that, and I'd make the age fairly young too.

To me, the problem lies in that people get driver's training in high school...and then never again. They develop bad habits over the years and they just get worse and worse. Making people actually take a comprehensive driving test is a way to see if there are any problems with the way a person drives. Of course most people would be extra-cautious while under scrutinty, but some things would probably still be noticable to a trained professional driving tester. The next step is to make someone take a remedial driving training course. If done properly, it could be a pleasant surprise to someone to realize that their driving has actually deteriorated. Insurance companies could even offer a discount for taking the course.

As for the actual ages, I would recommend age 50 for the first mandatory driving test, with another one at 55 and 60. From there it would be 63, 66, and 69, and from 70 onward it would be every year.

I'm sure that a lot of 50-year-olds would scream at that... "I'm one of the best drivers on the road! Everyone else is an idiot!" Still, if they actually pay attention to what they're really doing behind the wheel and do an honest evaluation of their actions, they would (or should) admit that maybe they do have a few teeny-weeny, little-bitty bad habits... sometimes... maybe... but it's okay because I know what I'm doing!

For the record, I'm one of the old folks. I got my first real motorcycle in 1959 (Triumph 500) and my first car in 1962 (55 Ford). I have never had an accident in a car and the only ones on a bike were while trail riding waaay off-road. I've never had a a ticket for a moving violation in a car and none on a street bike since 1966. I still ride motorcycles both on and off road, plus have driven in over 50 countries overseas (I'm still overseas at the moment). Once I finally retire, I'll probably take one of those remedial driver's training courses just to make sure I'm not turning into one of "those" drivers.

Mac wrote:

Okay Joe, you've got a point....SOME old people can't drive worth a darn, and yes, it is a problem. However, arbitrarily taking away the driver's license of anyone over XX years old is not the answer.
Some states have instituted a requirement for anyone over XX years must take an actual driving test every 5 years, and then every 3 years after a certain point, and finally beyond XX years, they must take the driving test every year. I am fully in favor of that, and I'd make the age fairly young too.
To me, the problem lies in that people get driver's training in high school...and then never again. They develop bad habits over the years and they just get worse and worse. Making people actually take a comprehensive driving test is a way to see if there are any problems with the way a person drives. Of course most people would be extra-cautious while under scrutinty, but some things would probably still be noticable to a trained professional driving tester. The next step is to make someone take a remedial driving training course. If done properly, it could be a pleasant surprise to someone to realize that their driving has actually deteriorated. Insurance companies could even offer a discount for taking the course.
As for the actual ages, I would recommend age 50 for the first mandatory driving test, with another one at 55 and 60. From there it would be 63, 66, and 69, and from 70 onward it would be every year.
I'm sure that a lot of 50-year-olds would scream at that... "I'm one of the best drivers on the road! Everyone else is an idiot!" Still, if they actually pay attention to what they're really doing behind the wheel and do an honest evaluation of their actions, they would (or should) admit that maybe they do have a few teeny-weeny, little-bitty bad habits... sometimes... maybe... but it's okay because I know what I'm doing!
For the record, I'm one of the old folks. I got my first real motorcycle in 1959 (Triumph 500) and my first car in 1962 (55 Ford). I have never had an accident in a car and the only ones on a bike were while trail riding waaay off-road. I've never had a a ticket for a moving violation in a car and none on a street bike since 1966. I still ride motorcycles both on and off road, plus have driven in over 50 countries overseas (I'm still overseas at the moment). Once I finally retire, I'll probably take one of those remedial driver's training courses just to make sure I'm not turning into one of "those" drivers.

I love you, man!!!! Hey! Be careful over there. By the way, this is just a forum for me to vent when I have to go 30 mph in a 55, on the way to work, because some little old lady is blocking both lanes and can't see over the wheel. Take care, Mac!

The problem as I see it is we in the US do not have an efficient public transportation system. If we had decent public transportation, then we could restrict dangerous drivers better, as they would have an alternative way of getting places.
In Finland, it used to be that if you were caught drunk-driving, you would lose your licence for life, which is a great deterrent, but we can't do that in the US because people wouldn't be able to get to work.
It would be great to take dangerous drivers off of the road: drunk drivers, people who talk on their cell phones while they drive, people who smoke and drive (I have seen "drivers" with a cigarette in one hand and a cell phone in the other), older people who have driving issues, etc. The solution would be get a good public transportation system that is efficient, cost effective, and useable, and then test driving skills to make sure people remember how to drive. We could cut down on traffic problems, pollution, traffic congestion, and many other issues as well.

informed independent wrote:

The problem as I see it is we in the US do not have an efficient public transportation system. If we had decent public transportation, then we could restrict dangerous drivers better, as they would have an alternative way of getting places.
In Finland, it used to be that if you were caught drunk-driving, you would lose your licence for life, which is a great deterrent, but we can't do that in the US because people wouldn't be able to get to work.
It would be great to take dangerous drivers off of the road: drunk drivers, people who talk on their cell phones while they drive, people who smoke and drive (I have seen "drivers" with a cigarette in one hand and a cell phone in the other), older people who have driving issues, etc. The solution would be get a good public transportation system that is efficient, cost effective, and useable, and then test driving skills to make sure people remember how to drive. We could cut down on traffic problems, pollution, traffic congestion, and many other issues as well.

There's an old man that lives next door to me and I take him anywhere he needs to go. He has a car but has sense enough to know that he shouldn't be driving. It's too bad that all of the elderly people, that know they shouldn't be behind the wheel, don't follow his example.

Joe Highley wrote:

<quoted text>There's an old man that lives next door to me and I take him anywhere he needs to go. He has a car but has sense enough to know that he shouldn't be driving. It's too bad that all of the elderly people, that know they shouldn't be behind the wheel, don't follow his example.

It is too bad that there aren't more wonderful people such as yourself that are willing to help out their neigbors. I salute you.

informed independent wrote:

<quoted text>
It is too bad that there aren't more wonderful people such as yourself that are willing to help out their neigbors. I salute you.

I am kind of a blow hard but when it comes right down to it I'll help anyone that asks. Thanks for the kudos.