When is one too old to keep driving?

[ETOWNCANUCK]

This happened today. Kid is lucky to be alive.

By his own admission he shouldn't have been driving to begin with and he knew something like this would happen.

Although he states he'll never drive again,
His age and current medical concerns should have parked him awhile ago.

I think there needs to be mandatory retesting of all drivers,
Especially where ability and skill becomes diminished by these factors.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/07/1...toppled-by-car

[silverdoctor]

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportatio...ual_Report.pdf

Page 25 says alot.

My neighbours are in their 90's, and they are gone quite a bit in the 50 foot motorhome. He's 93 and backs that thing up in the back parking lot better than most I've seen.


Half of alberta drivers shouldn't be licensed.

[JB_AOL]

Imho.. everyone should be retested every 5yrs prior to renewal. But a real driving test, not the bs written test.
Once over 65, they should be tested every 2 years unless there is any medical condition, then it should be every year.

It sucks and I hate that alot of seniors would loose their "freedom", but about 50% of the people I know over 70 should not be driving, yet they are. Some have serious medical conditions that severely affect their reaction time/motor skills/etc, yet they are still out there. Some of them somehow have passed medically required driving tests, even though if I was to throw a ball at them they wouldn't be able to catch it.

[Artist]

Ability is not always determined by age - there are a lot of young'uns who shouldn't be on the road either. Mandatory testing across all age demographics would be the place to start.

[tri777]

Originally Posted by ETOWNCANUCK

..needs to be mandatory retesting of all drivers,

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

..everyone should be retested every 5yrs

Originally Posted by Artist

Mandatory testing across all age demographics

So exhausted of the above type statements..perhaps those racking up
tickets/fines/stunting tickets,high demerit points,DWI offenders,
and +70yr olds, being tested every few years tested i could agree with.

But lumping all together ?..please just leave those of us the hell alone
who drive decently, have zero demerits and DON'T want to be spending
more dumb stupid time booking drivers tests,taking day off work,just more crap to do.
There is already plenty of exisitng cash cow B.S. nickle'N'Dime
hidden costs& taxes already. Suppose many are so eagerly looking
forward to the coming carbon tax crap too..just piling on the expenses
with smiles..

[roger]

it pains me to see 18 year old cowgirls rolling $125K dually with a 40' 4 horse LQ, working the throttle like it a nascar qualifier on the baja 500. i didnt think horses could pray...they can.

it pains me to see a two year old lincoln towncar or caddilac DTS proudly displaying a gold '50 year member of the alberta motor association' on the trunk lid. this alone should serve as warning to others to give a wide berth, with the radio pre-set to 'an hour with angry dave rutherford' and forward-looking backward-thinking blinders on...the car is looks like it collided with a benjamin moore paint mixer at the hardware store...the factory should hang old tires off the sides of it ...like a tugboat does.

it pains me..is im getting worse and i see it every day..but i aint giving up my license for another 30 years. i want a 200 mph cadillac ctsv so i can drive faster, that way i spend less time on the road..less time on the road means less chance of a incident.

[Nova]

At the root of the whole problem is without any sort of mandatory testing not enough families are willing to step in when their parents or grandparents are clearly losing their driving abilities.

And some governing bodies simply do not take reassessing seriously. My brother is a police officer (not in Alberta). Recently had an impaired reported. Tracked it down and it turned out to be old bitty bumping down the highway at 60km/h, all over the road. Followed with his lights on for over 3km before she pulled over, right in the middle of the road. When he got out of his cruiser she drove away. Followed her a while again before she pulled over, once again right in the middle of the road. She had no idea how slow she was going. No idea that she was all over the road. And she had no idea where he expected her to stop. He ended up submitting her license for review and suggesting a medical. The provincial licenser wrote him back a month later asking if he has had any more subsequent run ins with her to justify a review. She wasn't even from the same community, and in my opinion his one encounter was certainly enough to justify a review.

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by tri777

So exhausted of the above type statements..perhaps those racking up
tickets/fines/stunting tickets,high demerit points,DWI offenders,
and +70yr olds, being tested every few years tested i could agree with.

But lumping all together ?..please just leave those of us the hell alone
who drive decently, have zero demerits and DON'T want to be spending
more dumb stupid time booking drivers tests,taking day off work,just more crap to do.
There is already plenty of exisitng cash cow B.S. nickle'N'Dime
hidden costs& taxes already. Suppose many are so eagerly looking
forward to the coming carbon tax crap too..just piling on the expenses
with smiles..

x2

[Dick284]

My dad(now passed on) gladly gave up his license on his own in his late 60's.
He said "I don't want the responsability any more".
He was a realist, and recognized that his abilities were diminishing.
Luckily he and mom lived in the city with public transit.
I can also see where rural locations with little or no public transit is an issue for elderly drivers.

Striking the balance between the need to get around and have independence vs. Public safety is a type of tight rope that every aging driver has to endure.

With our aging population this issue will become more of an issue in the future.

[Buckhead]

There is a huge variance in the capabilities of elderly drivers and their mental and physical capabilites and reaction times.

My own father (deceased last year at 94) didn't stop driving on his own until he was 85.
My siblings and I had no problem with that as the man was fully competent to do so.
Perhaps there should be some kind of competency road test every couple years after a certain age.

[pitw]

I'll take my chances with old drivers on the road any time. Let them drive as they go slow and are easy to avoid. Now let's take the younger folk who hunt, them I am skeered of as they go faster and some have no idea what they are doing as they will stop in the middle of the road or drive on the wrong side as they peruse a critter in a field they have no permission to hunt on anyway.

[recce43]

my mom and dad just drove out here from Ontario.
my dad is 84 drives better than a lot of people.
they are tested every 2 yrs in Ontario

[lmtada]

Private Pilot physical, eye test, every year over 40. Why not Automobile liscence.

[wildbill]

Moms 79 drives well, dad 77 lives in Vancouver drives really well, I agree with increased testing frequencies, but you wanna see some of the scariest drivers in Calgary? Go to the pacific place (TNT) on the NE on a Sunday and walk around that parking lot!

[coreya3212]

Originally Posted by lmtada

Private Pilot physical, eye test, every year over 40. Why not Automobile liscence.

PPL is very two years. Cat 3 medical. But your point comes across regardless.

[blacknorthernjk]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

Imho.. everyone should be retested every 5yrs prior to renewal. But a real driving test, not the bs written test.
Once over 65, they should be tested every 2 years unless there is any medical condition, then it should be every year.

It sucks and I hate that alot of seniors would loose their "freedom", but about 50% of the people I know over 70 should not be driving, yet they are. Some have serious medical conditions that severely affect their reaction time/motor skills/etc, yet they are still out there. Some of them somehow have passed medically required driving tests, even though if I was to throw a ball at them they wouldn't be able to catch it.

Completely agree

[Big Grey Wolf]

It is very simple to solve, should be same as when you loose your hunting license, All drivers should have to take another road test, just like new hunter course before getting their license back. It would determine who should be back on road regardless of age.

[JustMe]

Originally Posted by Artist

Ability is not always determined by age - there are a lot of young'uns who shouldn't be on the road either. Mandatory testing across all age demographics would be the place to start.

Exactly. Spend an hour or two on the roads and see who the majority of drivers that don't follow then rules are! It won't be the "old" people 65 and over, most of them obey the laws.

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[oldjeda]

Not sure if this is an Alberta thing or is Canada wide but in my families experience it is next to impossible to get testing done on seniors that are proving to be poor drivers or to get their licences restricted or revoked. Our family had six 80+ seniors and in our opinion, 5 should not have been driving, one with a restricted licence only. We have written letters to and met with their doctors, the RCMP, the MV branch and even the local governments. Their doctors and neighbours have written letters to the MV branch. Their insurance companies are threatening to cancel their policies due to the number of traffic violations and accidents. Nothing stopped them from driving.

The accidents and violations continue so all we can do is wait and pray.

My kids are constantly reminding me about my future outlook based on our (shallow) gene pool

[CaberTosser]

I recall encountering one utterly incompetent senior citizen driver who was so bad that we called the police on her. She first got our attention by nearly sideswiping us, only avoided by my evasive maneuver away from her intrusion into our lane. She wasn't even aware that she had done anything wrong, blinders on and maintaining her blank gaze straight ahead. We watched her the rest of our trip and she had the same destination as us at a Calgary Co-op. Despite the excellent lead time, plate number and location provided no CPS unit showed up: the woman could well have been medicated out the wazoo given her frail health. She was also definitely wealthy, driving a full load Caddilac and dressed like a Kennedy wife heading off to church.

[qwert]

Originally Posted by tri777

So exhausted of the above type statements..perhaps those racking up
tickets/fines/stunting tickets,high demerit points,DWI offenders,
and +70yr olds, being tested every few years tested i could agree with.

But lumping all together ?..please just leave those of us the hell alone
who drive decently, have zero demerits and DON'T want to be spending
more dumb stupid time booking drivers tests,taking day off work,just more crap to do.
There is already plenty of exisitng cash cow B.S. nickle'N'Dime
hidden costs& taxes already. Suppose many are so eagerly looking
forward to the coming carbon tax crap too..just piling on the expenses
with smiles..

Public roads are probably the most hazardous location in our environment.
Those at the greatest risk of incompetent drivers, are pedestrians (especially the old and young), bicyclists, children and roadside workers.
Proper public safety management must do all that is practicable to control and reduce the risks present there.
We all benefit from regulations designed to prevent incompetent people from operating motor vehicles on public property.
We have a Constitutional Right not to be discriminated against based on age.

IMHO, the entire cost of regulations intended to benefit all Citizens should be paid for from Government general revenue,
and not personally by those selected for special regulatory attention due to their age or any other condition.
This includes ALL mandatory medical and skill competency testing.
The political question should be "does everyone benefit?", and if so then everyone should share the cost.

This is an issue that I suspect will soon be 'solved?' by driver-less motor vehicles, which I also suspect will be mandatory sooner than we want.

Good Luck, YMMV.

[benamen]

One of the problems is the testing itself. I personally know a person in Alberta with macular degeneration who passed the test. And she had problems recognizing people if she walked by their table. My driver's license has a restriction stating I must have my glasses on to drive. And I can see much better we without my glasses than this lady can.

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[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by Nova

not enough families are willing to step in when their parents or grandparents are clearly losing their driving abilities.

That's because it would become the familys job to drive them around.

[cranky]

Originally Posted by benamen

One of the problems is the testing itself. I personally know a person in Alberta with macular degeneration who passed the test. And she had problems recognizing people if she walked by their table. My driver's license has a restriction stating I must have my glasses on to drive. And I can see much better we without my glasses than this lady can.

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I can testify to the license being too easy to get/keep. Im turning 70 soon and im a retired trucker. Drove professionally ever since i got a drivers license back in the 1962 starting with a one ton. All i gotta do is go for a medical once a year and i get to still drive semi if i want to. Dont have to prove i still can drive. I dont agree with this. I think we all should be road tested periodically.

Incidentally i retired from driving professionally as i thought i wasnt up to my standards i set for myself. Sold the rig so i wouldnt be tempted. Can still get by with a pickup but i limit my driving to daytime as old eyes are not so good at night. And avoidance of heavy traffic like in downtown cities. Very little talking to passengers so i dont get distracted etc.

Maybe some of my self imposed restrictions like that above should be put on folks after they get to a certain age. Not sure.

[artie]

that is why I never honk at someone out of frustration. you might startle them. honking should be for a warning that something is about to happen if I do not watch out. The city of Calgary reminds me of driving in Mexico City. It is constant honking for no reason. Sometimes I am walking and someone clicks their lock button and the horn beeps. I have had my heart just about jump out of my chest when this has happened.

[highland]

It seems when your too old to drive a car you just start towing one behind a motorhome.


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[6mmhunter]

Originally Posted by tri777

So exhausted of the above type statements..perhaps those racking up
tickets/fines/stunting tickets,high demerit points,DWI offenders,
and +70yr olds, being tested every few years tested i could agree with.

But lumping all together ?..please just leave those of us the hell alone
who drive decently, have zero demerits and DON'T want to be spending
more dumb stupid time booking drivers tests,taking day off work,just more crap to do.
There is already plenty of exisitng cash cow B.S. nickle'N'Dime
hidden costs& taxes already. Suppose many are so eagerly looking
forward to the coming carbon tax crap too..just piling on the expenses
with smiles..

X2

[RBI]

Originally Posted by artie

that is why I never honk at someone out of frustration. you might startle them. honking should be for a warning that something is about to happen if I do not watch out. The city of Calgary reminds me of driving in Mexico City. It is constant honking for no reason. Sometimes I am walking and someone clicks their lock button and the horn beeps. I have had my heart just about jump out of my chest when this has happened.

Ya , but you probably gave them a smile ...brightened up their day a little

[lmtada]

Originally Posted by artie

that is why I never honk at someone out of frustration. you might startle them. honking should be for a warning that something is about to happen if I do not watch out. The city of Calgary reminds me of driving in Mexico City. It is constant honking for no reason. Sometimes I am walking and someone clicks their lock button and the horn beeps. I have had my heart just about jump out of my chest when this has happened.

Drive Cairo Egypt, if you want honking. Crazy! 20 million the size Calgary.

[ETOWNCANUCK]

Driving is a privilege and not a right.

Too many develop bad habits and keep those habits in place.

Some have bad habits and have been fortunate enough not to be involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Having a retest of some sort every 5 years isn't necessarily a bad thing.

It can help to remind and reinforce good driving habits, rules of the road, plus prove that one is still capable of properly operating a vehicle.

We expect our young drivers to go through a series of steps to get a license, then just pay a fee every 5 years to keep it.

If one wants to keep their license then prove you still deserve it.

I can respect those that are good drivers probably shouldn't be lumped in with the bad.
But there is a lot of bad drivers who definately need this.

And while some over 65 still have outstanding skills, not all do.
So maybe as one reaches a certain age, mandatory testing should be in place.