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Someone Asked The Internet If Drivers Over 70 Should Require Special Testing, And Here’s How They Responded
A debate on elderly drivers has flared up after a Reddit user asked the online community if drivers over the age of 70 should require ‘specialized’ testing to keep their licenses. Even the seniors themselves have chimed in, and you might be surprised by how they responded.
Though the Reddit user didn’t clarify exactly what they meant by ‘specialized driving tests,’ their proposed law is already a partial reality in some States. In Texas, for example, drivers over 85 must renew their licenses every 2 years rather than the standard 6, and must pass a vision test each time. It’s a requirement known as Katie’s Law, introduced in 2007 after a 90-year-old driver missed a stoplight and killed 17-year-old Katie Bolka in Dallas. Most States, however, have no special provisions for pensioners behind the wheel.
While it’s true that not every senior driver is likely to cause fatal accidents, it’s clear that people do have serious concerns over whether or not they should be allowed on the road. Scroll down to read the Internet’s reactions, opinions, and personal accounts, and don’t forget to tell us what you think at the end.
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What do you think ?
Melody Lanzatella 7 years ago
YES!! No disrespect intended. It is just a fact of life! As you age, your reaction time slows, eyesight worsens, etc. Elderly drivers cause MANY accidents! My husband was in an accident because an elderly driver thought he had the light turn make a left turn. Phil was coming in the opposite direction, going the speed limit. The elderly man had a RED light! But, he turned left anyway, crossing in front of Phil at the last second! NO WAY for my husband to NOT hit him! Phils neck injury was awful, SEVERE whiplash! New York is a "no-fault" state, (IT SUCKS!). Phil couldnt even sue him for damages, as his injuries were all soft tissue! 5 years later and he STILL suffers from VERY limited range of movement in his neck!
Jonathan Eatsalot 7 years ago
The mileage-based crash rate also decreased with increasing driver ag e until ages 60-69, and then increased slightly as age increased beyond this range. Drivers in their 70’s were involved in about the same number of crashes per mile driven as drivers in their 30’s, drivers ages 80-84 were involved in about the same number of crashes per mile driven as drivers ages 25-29, and drivers ages 85 and older were involved in about the same number of crashes per mile driven as drivers ages 20-24. Teenage driv ers had by far the highest rates of crash involvement both in relation to their share of the driving popula tion and in relation to the amount of driving that they did. https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/2012OlderDriverRisk.pdf
Lalita 7 years ago
I think what is being talked about here is severe cases of dementia, loss of vision and that kind of stuff that might be very dangerous for everybody. You can keep your number. I'd love to keep people that IS DANGEROUS away from our roads, thank you very much.
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KrisF 7 years ago
My mom works with patients getting eye surgery. More than once, she tested someone, then had to refuse to let them drive home because of how bad their vision is. Once a lady was annoyed she had to come pick up her mother because her mother was supposed to pick up her kids from school. Seriously, you don't see any problem with letting your kids get in a car with a blind driver? I'd support the idea of testing drivers every 5-10 years (road test, not just vision). I've seen plenty of people under 70 who shouldn't have a license. Of course, it is a little hard to judge which age group is more likely to get into accidents, since most data I've seen doesn't show it in relation to how many in that group drive.
Melody Lanzatella 7 years ago
YES!! No disrespect intended. It is just a fact of life! As you age, your reaction time slows, eyesight worsens, etc. Elderly drivers cause MANY accidents! My husband was in an accident because an elderly driver thought he had the light turn make a left turn. Phil was coming in the opposite direction, going the speed limit. The elderly man had a RED light! But, he turned left anyway, crossing in front of Phil at the last second! NO WAY for my husband to NOT hit him! Phils neck injury was awful, SEVERE whiplash! New York is a "no-fault" state, (IT SUCKS!). Phil couldnt even sue him for damages, as his injuries were all soft tissue! 5 years later and he STILL suffers from VERY limited range of movement in his neck!
Jonathan Eatsalot 7 years ago
The mileage-based crash rate also decreased with increasing driver ag e until ages 60-69, and then increased slightly as age increased beyond this range. Drivers in their 70’s were involved in about the same number of crashes per mile driven as drivers in their 30’s, drivers ages 80-84 were involved in about the same number of crashes per mile driven as drivers ages 25-29, and drivers ages 85 and older were involved in about the same number of crashes per mile driven as drivers ages 20-24. Teenage driv ers had by far the highest rates of crash involvement both in relation to their share of the driving popula tion and in relation to the amount of driving that they did. https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/2012OlderDriverRisk.pdf
Lalita 7 years ago
I think what is being talked about here is severe cases of dementia, loss of vision and that kind of stuff that might be very dangerous for everybody. You can keep your number. I'd love to keep people that IS DANGEROUS away from our roads, thank you very much.
Load More Replies... KrisF 7 years ago
My mom works with patients getting eye surgery. More than once, she tested someone, then had to refuse to let them drive home because of how bad their vision is. Once a lady was annoyed she had to come pick up her mother because her mother was supposed to pick up her kids from school. Seriously, you don't see any problem with letting your kids get in a car with a blind driver? I'd support the idea of testing drivers every 5-10 years (road test, not just vision). I've seen plenty of people under 70 who shouldn't have a license. Of course, it is a little hard to judge which age group is more likely to get into accidents, since most data I've seen doesn't show it in relation to how many in that group drive.
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