While I concede the point that there are many old people who have no business being on the road, a law which sets a maximum age for drivers would be horrible, for it would assume that no one over that specific age is capable of driving, which of course is false, and would violate the rights of the able.
This letter stems from the same mentality that guns should be banned because sometimes people use them to commit crimes and some people are idiots, violating the rights of the millions of safety-conscious, law-abiding citizens.
It stems from the same mentality that millions of children should be prevented from owning a certain toy because one 8-year-old dumbass thought it would allow him to fly and therefore jumped off of a high-rise building.

Please not another law.

Paul
Why not make it a requirement after a certain age that the driver must take yearly test to see that they belong behind a wheel. I am not talking about the written test about the laws but test their physical and mental reactions as well as seeing abilities. You are right there are many elder people who can still drive but I have seen to many who should not due to their age be behind a wheel.

I'm with hayes on this one. I think after a certain age every person who is capable of driving should be tested at least once a year. Reaction times slow, eyesight fails, and dexterity declines with age. That's a proven medical fact. Some of us go at a faster rate than others. I know of several people in their seventies who are just as vibrant as they were in their fifties. However, they are the exception and not the rule.

I'll relate a personal experience about one's refusal to give up driving when it was obvious the privilage needed to be revoked. In our family we had an aunt who in her latter years developed diabetes. As some of you may know, one of the unfortunate things that can happen is a loss of sight. Her's faded every year, but she kept driving. In one year's time she had twenty-three accidents. All of them her fault. Luckily, most were in parking lots. When she went to have her license renewed, every four years, she would fail the eye test. When they said she couldn't have her license she would raise Cain until they just gave it to her. I witnessed one of these occasions. She could get quite ugly. After the fourth time in and failing the eye test, they revoked her on the spot. That time she ran into someone who had a stronger will than the others and didn't feel sorry for her, but for someone else on the road.

I know when I start to feel that slip of reaction time and can't see past the steering wheel it will be hard to give up that independence. The only thing worse than that would be to take away someone else's independence because I don't have what it takes to drive safely.

I admit that some seniors have their faults.
However I much rather have them on the road than cell phone users. Seems like I dodge some phone user everyday. A liitle old lady every year are two. As for testing that is fine if something is done by a senior to call for it. If there was some way to prove it, I would bet cell phone are the number 2 cause of wrecks.

I disagree with any law that would treat Seniors differently than anyone else. The rest of us are deemed responsible enough to go years between driver's test and eye exams. If we can't see well, then we go to a doctor and get glasses. Or drive blind. Whatever the case may be.

Unfortunately, ALL of us are subject to strokes or heart attacks. A dear friend of mine (46) just had a stroke and nearly died from it. Is 46 considered elderly.

I say keep the elderly on the road. They are pretty easy to spot. Usually, these are the people who are actually going the speed limit and obeying the traffic laws.

I think we need to examine the "age" thing again truth. There is a certain age where we reach a diminished capacity to perform physically. If your friend has diminished reflexes, sight, mobility, etc. then he would not be allowed to drive (sorry about his condition and hope he recovers, best wishes there). As far as laws which may discriminate against their age, we descriminate against young drivers. (i.e. graduated licenses and age requirements) I'm totally for limiting seniors and I'm just around the corner from being subject to the very restrictions I'm suggesting.

Joe,

I can see what you're saying. With my glasses on, anyway. Seniors also often have some diminished mental capacities. (Heck, I've got some at middle age). Should we limit their right to vote, as well? I think most seniors have sense to know when they should get behind the wheel and drive.

I think discrimination against large groups of American citizens is wrong. Children are different. It is debatable as to whether they even have any rights or not in our society. I think setting an arbitrary date on when someone is 'old' in order to take away their individual rights is dangerous. It's like the old saying, "Give an inch, lose a mile". Once you've taken away the relevance of elderly people by trapping them in their homes and not allowing them to make any decisions, it isn't that far of a stretch to deciding that their quality of life is no longer worth protecting.

But like I've said before, I can see both sides of most issues.

truth, you're confusing right with privilege. Rights are guaranteed as in the right to vote. Privileges can be revoked as in driving privileges. You don't have a right to drive. Ask any law enforcement officer.

If an elderly person can pass the proposed test, then they can drive. If not, then we're all safer for it and it may save their lives.

I believe that all drivers SHOULD be tested yearly or even every other year after they hit a certain age.

Last year my mother died in a car accident because an elderly woman turned the wrong way on the expressway and hit my mothers car head on killing her instantly. The lady's response - I don't know why I turned the wrong way. I've been driving this road for 15 years to and from work.

Sad part....she still has her license. Had she looked, would my mother still be alive?

I don't want to ban the elderly from the road but they should be tested.