Do you think elderly people should have to retake a driving test?
By Ambreya3
@Ambreya3 (100)
United States
December 27, 2009 10:13pm CST
I always see old people driving badly. Just the other day an old lady was swerving so much you would have thought it was a drunk. I also had heard numerous news stories of old people going the wrong way down a highway and my dad even saw one doing that once. They say they can't retest them because its age discrimination but i don't understand why. You have to be a certain age (16 in PA) to take a test and get your license for the 1st time. You have to be a certain age to take part in certain medical/retirement programs for elderly people.
3 people like this
5 responses
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
28 Dec 09
If they are prove to drive badly and are arrested or ticketed then they should have to retake the test OR have to take some additional testing. However, some people are never caught, and therefore will keep driving until they are told not to. I wouldn't say they're the ONLY people, as we've seen lots of people drive terrible on the highway.
1 person likes this
@Godmother (476)
• Indonesia
28 Dec 09
I agree with you callarsel. But of course, the kind of test that they have to take should be a bit different because it's to test their alertness, etc. It would make their children happier too if they are not permitted to drive alone anymore, because they wouldn't have to worry so much when their parents decided to drive alone. My dad drove by himself every weekend till he was 83 years old, and it always made me worry so much.
1 person likes this
@dodgey14 (16)
•
6 Jan 10
in a way i think everyone over a certain age should have to re take there driving test due to their lack of attention and just switching lanes without checking whats up the side of them because they always do it to me and its annoying but then when i get to that age i would not want to retake my test and fail haha so its a tough one to decide
@benny128 (3615)
•
30 Dec 09
I think that yeah they should, once you hit 60 should have to re-take your test every 2 years to check reactions etc etc are still up to driving.
But that doesn't just go with old age there are a lot of awful younger drivers or experienced drivers that should know better.
I think anyone regardless of age if they have caused a major incident should have to re-take some form of test maybe not a complete drivers test but some form of tutoring.
Even things like talking on a mobile or texting one of my neighbours son was hit by a young woman driver who was busy texting when she hit him and she got 3 points
so yeah I do, but not only for old drivers should be right across the board but older drivers as I said should be checked every 2 years or so, as your car can be a weapon if people are not capable of using it properly.
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
30 Dec 09
To be honest, most people I see driving badly are not elderly. We have several friends in their seventies and I feel perfectly safe with them at the wheel, while a friend's son who is coming up to 30 is a complete maniac on the roads - it's a wonder he hasn't killed himself, or someone else. I think it would be very controversial to retest a certain group of people based on age alone, though. Human rights and equality are going to come into it at some stage, I would think.
@felice369 (239)
• United States
28 Dec 09
Maybe you are right, but I don't think those elderly people, or senior citizen might want to take the test over again, or under certain condition, they might not be able to pass it at once. It might be too much trouble for them. My mom had an accident a few years back and was with an elderly people. Luckily, everyone was okay. It is controversial.
