Elderly Drivers

Opinions?

Should you be forced to retake your test once you reach a certain age maybe once a year?

Would like to know your opinions as I've seen more elderly people driving poorly/causing accidents than the highly victimized 17-21yr olds! :eek:

Reply 1

nulli tertius

Original post by Walkaah

The statistics don't bear this out. Many elderly drivers only drive short distances in daylight at modest speed on quite residential streets. And in many cases, the car knows its own way home. :tongue:

Reply 2

Dez

If elderly drivers were a problem then insurance costs would end up reflecting that, and there'd be a massive inflation of insurance prices for that age group. This hasn't happened, which means elderly drivers are still less likely to cause damage compared to 17-25s.

That doesn't say anything about their driving skills of course, but you can't really classify elderly drivers as especially dangerous.

Reply 3

godd

I thought after 70 you had to do the driving test every year?

Reply 4

Dez

Original post by godd

I thought after 70 you had to do the driving test every year?

People over 70 in all likelihood won't have done a driving test ever.

Reply 5

ryan9900

You can't generalise though. My Grandad is 80 but is still fit, healthy, and drives perfectly.

On the other hand, I was following an elderly male driver through Wales the other week, and I was genuinely preparing to react to a horrific crash as he was swerving over the centre line, veering towards steep embankments with millimetres to spare and even ran a red light.

Not all elderly drivers are dangerous, but some are definitely more likely to have or cause an accident.

Reply 6

JC.

Original post by Dez

They do actually.
I know for a fact that my Grandfather was paying £550 a year to insure his Jaguar XJ6 when he was 92. The company was Saga and there are actually very few companies interested in insuring someone over the age of 75 and those that do are happy to charge for the pleasure.
He's been gone 7 years now and the same car, all be it with a bigger engine only costs me £190 a year.
He had 71 years worth of NCB too!

Reply 7

JC.

Original post by godd

I thought after 70 you had to do the driving test every year?

No, you have to RENEW your licence every year in the same way that everyone has to renew their licence every 10 years. You just have to have your Dr sign off that you are fit to drive.

Reply 8

Zeus_

In my opinion people should have to get tested in some way once they hit retirement age, fed up of people driving like they're dead at the wheel, puts others in danger

Reply 9

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

I think they should have some sort of test once they reach a certain age (e.g. 70). Probably not a full blown test (which might be a bit unfair) but some sort of simpler test just to prove they are still ok.
The insurance prices for older drivers might not be extortionate like they are for us younger drivers, but then again they use their car a lot less, and when they do, its for a lot shorter journeys.
I agree that you cant generalise, but there does seem to be a lot of dodgy older drivers around. Sure there are safe older drivers as well, but ive seen a lot of dangerous ones. Its just like younger drivers, there are a lot of safe younger drivers, but the dodgy ones give us a bad name. But ive seen more dodgy older than younger drivers.

Reply 10

TornadoGR4

I think there's horrifically bad drivers in all age groups, obviously most prominent in the late teens-early twenties as reflected by the steeper insurance costs. Personally, I think everyone should be required to retake a test every 10 years or so.