Older drivers' licensing

One of my customer couples is a husband/wife with one car, they are now both in their 90's, he is now in a care home with advanced dementia, immediately before the admission he had many minor accidents and went through a clutch every 6 months, she has kept driving and crashing on a regular basis for at least the last ten years. Several years ago I pointed out the multiple crash damage to the DVLA 'shop a dodgy driver' department, they both were made to attend a doctor based assessment which cleared them both to drive! A few months after that they were both in the car when it rolled away backwards, across a usually busy urban road and into a wall. Happily there were no injuries to anyone (complete luck) So it seems that something much more robust in the way of assessment is needed.

You've forgotten that fiver you owe me.

It's an interesting ethical dilemma. There's a current FB post complaining about an elderly driver going the wrong way over a dual carriageway bridge over a railway, but on a dead straight bit of single carriageway road with ample visibility. So while not defending the driver, anyone who managed to collide with them head on would clearly not be driving competently. I guess the big risk they pose to other road users is pulling out of a side turning into fast traffic.

I felt slightly sorry for a well known local character who was "nicked" a few years ago after stopping in the safe wide central reservation, half way across a dual carriageway. She was booked by the policeman who shunted her up the rear because he wasn't expecting her to stop.

What is required, is far more unmarked police cars, picking up ALL bad driving. You know immediately you come up behind someone who lacks confidence and see plenty who are on something, either their phone, drink or drugs, wandering all over the lane. It would all be videoed and a decision then made on how it's best dealt with. Age alone is not really a satisfactory or economic way of assessing driving ability.

I am 82, and I meet people socially (at dances) who I believe should NOT be driving. I have been thinking of getting an assessment by IAM to make sure I'm ok, but my daughter will keep an eye on me if she thinks I'm a risk.

I still see appalling driving by younger drivers though, there is a speed camera and a 50mph limit on a motorway near here, and both were the result of fatal crashes involving a car full of youngsters.

I have a line rehearsed, should I be stopped for speeding.

"But officer, I am an old age pensioner driving a Honda Jazz, you should be stopping me for going too slowly".

They should also do this to the young driver who decided to go the wrong way down the off-slip road on the local dual carriage way (after also going the wrong way around a roundabout to get there) and meet me going up the same slip road coming off the dual carriage way.

And yes, I am an elderly driver with well over fifty years (and around 1.5 million miles) of driving experience [1] - with a new hip now required after the braking I have had to do to avoid the antics of the young and middle-aged drivers who seem to think they 'know it all' and the roads were constructed just for them.

It is also my belief that a mandatory driving re-test (or an assessment of some type) should have to be taken every ten years by *ALL* drivers - as well as compulsory testing, insurance etc for cyclists.

[1] With only one accident in the last 25 years (in 2014) when another young driver decided to side-swiped me on a dual carriage way - when she decided that the outside lane was too fast and frightening for her and she just had to get into the inside lane as she was overtaking me!

This young lady also had the bloody cheek to say that she had never "saw me" on the inside lane - but as least her insurance company had the decency to accept the blame and pay up for the necessary repairs (around ?2500 worth in total).

All good fun on the roads today though - and with me still very compos mentis and driving around 20000 miles a year on all types of roads and in all weather conditions.

Abusive replies will not offend (I've heard most of it in my time) and will generally be ignored anyway - unless I'm feeling a little grumpy and feisty!

*eg*

+1. You could cover their wages on the fines and have fewer delays, crashes and road-rage incidents.

Funny how you can often tell that's going to be the case before it does. You know the ones ... doing 27 in a 40 limit and you have no idea from their road position what they are going to do next (which could include speeding up to 50 mph).

I watched one the other day. Pulled onto a lights-controlled roundabout though the reds because the *next* set of lights had turned green (lucky nothing was already coming round) and then stopped at the green lights!

A nice fine, that's all most of them care about.

True, although it does often play a part.

Cheers, T i m

My car has automatic hand brake and can't roll backwards.

In article , Davey scribeth thus

Its about time - that there was some sort of ongoing proficiency testing especially for the over 70's once every three years even a medical check up like a PPL licence it wouldn't go amiss.

Won't happened tho, its a real turkeys voting for Christmas thing....

I haven't used my HGV licence in years , but I still keep it up and have the independent health checkup every 5 years, personally I would welcome actual driving assessments too, but I know that most people would not. I take it as a compliment when people ask me to drive them places, often in their own cars.

[...]

I would welcome something like the Australian system, where once you are 70 you have to have an assessment. If you fail, you can continue to drive, take training, then be re-assessed as many times as you like within that year.

If at the age of 71 you haven't shown to be driving to an acceptable standard, your licence reverts to the status of a provisional, and you would have to take a full driving test.

BTW, I'm 70.

Chris

I'd be quite happy to have a proficiency test every year. Perhaps partially online. For everyone. And be forced to display some form of driving licence on the car being driven.

It's perfectly true that many do get past driving when older. But the majority of serious accidents are caused by the young who have no conception of road craft. But being young, know it all.

but then of course,insurance premiums would come down because we have got rid of all the incompetent drivers on the road,who are all old.

that is not what insurers find.

Quite. And there is no answer to that - despite what the likes of Mr critcher would love to believe.

Seems a decent idea. As to younger drivers yes that needs overhauling. A few lessons taught parrot fashion by and instructor and hopefully remember all that pass test and you can do as much as anyone else can on the roads.

Not a good idea perhaps a two part test and in stages etc.

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The problem with young drivers is not a lack of skill, it's not having a safe attitude to driving. I'm not sure that's anything that can be taught. At 70, I shudder at the chances I took on the roads when I was in my teens, but truly believed I was in total control.

I think 17 is much too young to be on the roads, especially as 17 year-olds seem *less* mature than in previous generations.

If we are really serious about saving young lives, raise the minimum driving age to 20, and for a first offence in the first year, compulsory re-test!

Chris

There is always a proportion of drivers which one could call: 'impatient'. Drivers who must be in front at all cost; willing to take huge risks. Some white van and bmw drivers can be found in this category, as well as drivers of any car with painted stripes on the outside. They will invariably consider themselves superior and blame other drivers for only driving up to the legal speed limit. That's why motorway accidents happens mostly in the 'fast' lane. Oldies - nah..