Elderly Drivers - Please Stop Driving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But teens have to take a test to get a license - so if you have a teen driver, he or she very recently has proven (as much as is required which granted is not much!) that he or she is a competent driver.

Someone above said her 98 year old grandmother had her license auto renewed - that likely means that person hasn’t had their driving competency checked in 82 years?!

Given the crash rates for teens, you could argue that the screening test actually doesn't prove competence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But teens have to take a test to get a license - so if you have a teen driver, he or she very recently has proven (as much as is required which granted is not much!) that he or she is a competent driver.

Someone above said her 98 year old grandmother had her license auto renewed - that likely means that person hasn’t had their driving competency checked in 82 years?!

Again, if what we are interested in is safer roads, we will get more bang for our buck by focusing on teen drivers. Raise the driving age to 18. Much safer for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But teens have to take a test to get a license - so if you have a teen driver, he or she very recently has proven (as much as is required which granted is not much!) that he or she is a competent driver.

Someone above said her 98 year old grandmother had her license auto renewed - that likely means that person hasn’t had their driving competency checked in 82 years?!

Given the crash rates for teens, you could argue that the screening test actually doesn't prove competence.

But at least there is an attempt to confirm competence with teenagers. That doesn’t exist now for elderly drivers - they just get their licenses in the mail until…

[Anonymous]

I used to work in ophthalmology, specifically retina (this macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, etc) Had a patients son ask to speak to me after her intake work up (checking vision and such). He asked if we could start the process to pull her DL, I replied, shocked, "she DRIVES"? She was not legal to drive in ANY state. She only drives away from parks and schools, in a small town and if people saw her coming, they'd turn off the street. She never let her kids come back to her appointments, and they always drove her b/c we'd dilate her pupils. Um yeah, we absolutely were the bad guys that day. She was livid, but we couldn't knowingly let her drive once we found out that she was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But teens have to take a test to get a license - so if you have a teen driver, he or she very recently has proven (as much as is required which granted is not much!) that he or she is a competent driver.

Someone above said her 98 year old grandmother had her license auto renewed - that likely means that person hasn’t had their driving competency checked in 82 years?!

LOL, not in Iowa you don't. You turn 16, show up at the DMV and they give you a DL. Also, at 14.5 you can get a school permit and drive, ALONE, to and from work and school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Already and recently covered in-depth:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1296997.page

Wow, that's about boomers. My parents are silent generation and still driving.

Regardless, as noted in the other recent thread, the stats suggest younger drivers are more at risk:

“[D]rivers between 25 and 34 are involved in the most fatal auto accidents by age group.”

https://www.autoinsurance.org/age-groups-fatal-crashes/

&

“Fatal crashes per licensed driver [are] lower for drivers 70–79 than ages 35–54. All crashes per miles traveled [are] lower for drivers 70–79 than ages 35–54.”

“Results of this study demonstrate that fatal crash involvements among older adults remain lower than the peak levels seen in the mid-1990s. Although a slowing of declining trends can be seen, there is no evidence to suggest an increase in fatal crash rates among older adults, as had been hypothesized when considering the increasing proportion of older adults in the United States population and their elevated crash risk.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022437521000463?

Is there a stat for 80-99??? Also no one here suggested a blanket driving ban based solely on age but mandatory testing every few years once you reach a certain age seems reasonable. All of these people are confident enough in their own driving to be out on the road with all of us so they shouldn’t have a problem with doing that.

Really? Then I think you missed the title of the thread.

The actual original post says essentially (I feel like you would find issue if I missed a word so I’ll add essentially) if you have elderly parents please take an honest look at whether they should still be driving. It doesn’t say no one over 80 should have a license. I expect you are of that age group though bc this is reminding me of trying to discuss something with my parents and them focusing solely on my tone to avoid hearing what I’m saying.

Then perhaps choose your words more carefully than Elderly Drivers - Please Stop Driving. The original post from the nearly identical previous thread, Boomer Drivers, also lacked nuance: “Dear Boomers - Please stop driving before you kill someone or damage even more property by ‘accidentally’ driving into someone’s home or business - which seems to happen all the time without repercussions.”

No one is arguing this issue isn’t a concern, but it’s also quite complex, and the data bears that out:

Number of Auto Accident Fatalities by Age
Age Group / Fatal Accidents
16-24 / 5,623
25-34 / 6,548
35-44 / 5,117
45-54 / 4,958
55-64 / 5,347
65-74 / 3,658
75+ / 3,556

https://www.autoinsurance.org/age-groups-fatal-crashes/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8752189/
https://assets.thehartford.com/image/upload/we_need_to_talk.pdf

These numbers don’t mean much without more context. There are probably just many more drivers in the 25-34 age range vs 75+ age range on the road, hence the greater number of auto fatalities in that group. A finer breakdown is needed here, including the estimated total numbers of drivers in each group and the proportions of those totals to fatalities. For example, within the 25-35 age range group, X percent of drivers were involved in accidents involving fatalities. Within the 75+ age group, X percent were involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We try, OP. My dad lives in a European capital that has excellent public transportation. He’s 88 and still *needs* his car to play golf.

No he doesn't. You simply take the keys away, or have their doctor send a note to revoke their DL.

So thankful my parents happily gave up their final car by age 82/83.
But I would have taken the keys away if they hadn't within a few years after that

I don’t understand how this would work. My parents live 1,000 miles away from me. What’s to stop them from simply going out and buying another car?

[Anonymous]

That’s why there should be legislation on this - to take it out of our hands and their hands. But in the meantime, this is all anyone can do I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But teens have to take a test to get a license - so if you have a teen driver, he or she very recently has proven (as much as is required which granted is not much!) that he or she is a competent driver.

Someone above said her 98 year old grandmother had her license auto renewed - that likely means that person hasn’t had their driving competency checked in 82 years?!

LOL, not in Iowa you don't. You turn 16, show up at the DMV and they give you a DL. Also, at 14.5 you can get a school permit and drive, ALONE, to and from work and school

That’s not true. If you’re under 18, you have to get a permit, take a course, pass a test.

-Iowan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Already and recently covered in-depth:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1296997.page

Wow, that's about boomers. My parents are silent generation and still driving.

Regardless, as noted in the other recent thread, the stats suggest younger drivers are more at risk:

“[D]rivers between 25 and 34 are involved in the most fatal auto accidents by age group.”

https://www.autoinsurance.org/age-groups-fatal-crashes/

&

“Fatal crashes per licensed driver [are] lower for drivers 70–79 than ages 35–54. All crashes per miles traveled [are] lower for drivers 70–79 than ages 35–54.”

“Results of this study demonstrate that fatal crash involvements among older adults remain lower than the peak levels seen in the mid-1990s. Although a slowing of declining trends can be seen, there is no evidence to suggest an increase in fatal crash rates among older adults, as had been hypothesized when considering the increasing proportion of older adults in the United States population and their elevated crash risk.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022437521000463?

Is there a stat for 80-99??? Also no one here suggested a blanket driving ban based solely on age but mandatory testing every few years once you reach a certain age seems reasonable. All of these people are confident enough in their own driving to be out on the road with all of us so they shouldn’t have a problem with doing that.

Really? Then I think you missed the title of the thread.

The actual original post says essentially (I feel like you would find issue if I missed a word so I’ll add essentially) if you have elderly parents please take an honest look at whether they should still be driving. It doesn’t say no one over 80 should have a license. I expect you are of that age group though bc this is reminding me of trying to discuss something with my parents and them focusing solely on my tone to avoid hearing what I’m saying.

Then perhaps choose your words more carefully than Elderly Drivers - Please Stop Driving. The original post from the nearly identical previous thread, Boomer Drivers, also lacked nuance: “Dear Boomers - Please stop driving before you kill someone or damage even more property by ‘accidentally’ driving into someone’s home or business - which seems to happen all the time without repercussions.”

No one is arguing this issue isn’t a concern, but it’s also quite complex, and the data bears that out:

Number of Auto Accident Fatalities by Age
Age Group / Fatal Accidents
16-24 / 5,623
25-34 / 6,548
35-44 / 5,117
45-54 / 4,958
55-64 / 5,347
65-74 / 3,658
75+ / 3,556

https://www.autoinsurance.org/age-groups-fatal-crashes/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8752189/
https://assets.thehartford.com/image/upload/we_need_to_talk.pdf

These numbers don’t mean much without more context. There are probably just many more drivers in the 25-34 age range vs 75+ age range on the road, hence the greater number of auto fatalities in that group. A finer breakdown is needed here, including the estimated total numbers of drivers in each group and the proportions of those totals to fatalities. For example, within the 25-35 age range group, X percent of drivers were involved in accidents involving fatalities. Within the 75+ age group, X percent were involved.

If you believe your stats are better researched and more accurate than those of the insurance industry, government, and actuaries who helped create them, by all means, please share.

[Anonymous]

I’m 66. Healthy and only need readers. When my doctor advises I quit driving, or my kids notice a decline, I will give them my car. However, as a widow, I don’t feel comfortable with Lyft or Uber, so I’ll stick to more deliveries. I’m not expecting my kids to haul me around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We try, OP. My dad lives in a European capital that has excellent public transportation. He’s 88 and still *needs* his car to play golf.

No he doesn't. You simply take the keys away, or have their doctor send a note to revoke their DL.

So thankful my parents happily gave up their final car by age 82/83.
But I would have taken the keys away if they hadn't within a few years after that

You're either delusional, or intentionally trying to stir things up.

"Simply taking the keys away" from someone is theft. You think there aren't elderly people who will call the police on their own kids?

[Anonymous]

There have been tremendous recent advances in auto safety with features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. These features can probably delay by a few years the age at which the elderly should stop driving.

Of course, time marches on for all of us, and eventually the elderly should stop driving.

[Anonymous]

Also driving restrictions for the elderly need not necessarily be abrupt. Two useful first steps are to stop driving at night and to stop driving on highways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 66. Healthy and only need readers. When my doctor advises I quit driving, or my kids notice a decline, I will give them my car. However, as a widow, I don’t feel comfortable with Lyft or Uber, so I’ll stick to more deliveries. I’m not expecting my kids to haul me around.

Again…you’re just too old for when Uber and Lyft came about. Plenty of single women take Ubers and Lyfts…when Waymo is in your area then you won’t have to worry about drivers either.