In light of recent events, what are your thoughts on todays drivers testing structure?

Please lets keep this nice, and abide by the FTE guidelines.

I voted for testing for all ages every 10 years, but would really like to see it every 5 years or less.

 

Uh Oh

 

Uh. I am totally against retesting. A few years ago, when I took my drivers test, they didnt even make me parallel park...what am I gonna do in 8-10 years!?!

 

I agree with superrangerman. Testing every 5 years. Written tests every 2 years (remind people of the laws). I've had people tell me that if you can clearly see that theres no one at an intersection you don't have to come to a complete stop. This really bothers me. Every 2 years I have to take a flying test to keep my pilots license. Driving is not a given right.

 

I definatly think something should be done. What you ask ? A test maybe, maybe a "hands on" test, or a written test, or both. But I think that it should be for the "older" drivers. Although I do see some BAD women TEEN drivers out there lately. (no offence ment to any female teen on this board But I've came into several situations where I was put at "risk" because some female teen was riding my bumper, then fly's by me (in the right lane) doing at least 100 in this rusted out ricer car.
So, yes, something should definatly be done about not only the elderly, but people's driving habits in general.

 

Oh, and also, my grandfather (he's now 86 years old, and still drives) you know how he can tell how far back he goes in a parking space when backing in? He hits the car behind him. Thats sad if you ask me. I was even in the car when he hit one behind us in a parking space.
Some advice: If you see an older Buick color white in the CT area parked at a Home Depot, stay away from it

 

IMHO YES. The state driver's licensing offices would get backed up if everyone was retested, but beginning retests at a "certain" age 68? 70? would help tame the drivers who should no longer drive because of infirmities. Current examples who share the road with me:
- "Chuck" 73yo, 3 bypasses, diabetic who often passes out from forgetting to buy or take his meds. Nice guy, but he passed out at the wheel again a couple of nights ago, driving on suspended license, ran off the highway and fortunately only hurt his car. Has plenty of friends to help out, doesn't want to lose his "independence", understandable but dangerous.
-"Sandy" 68yo, Parkinsons, legally blind. Walks and falls regularly, drinking or not. Drives max 35mph because she can't see very far ahead. Nice gal, dangerous on the road.
Should I report them before they kill themselves or friends on the road? Probably, but they're friends & I gotta' live here too.
I used to help my grandmother, rip, lift her arthritic legs onto the floorboard so she could drive. Usually ran stop signs, didn't care. A road wanderer over the lines. My dad finally took her license. A real nice woman, but dangerous on the road.

 

Personally, I think it should be Tougher to get a license in the first place.Learner's permit at 16 & no driver's license until 18 yrs. old.

Then refresher exams every 10 years leading up to 70,then every 2 years with a Doctors approval.


The Germans pay something like $500.00 US to get their license & with that is a complete training system for 2 years, leading up to taking the driver's test.

 

Full written, road, and vision test for anyone over 60, every year.. I say this because, in reality, at that age, one's vision and/or health can change pretty rapidly, and often the last thing they want to admit is that they are no longer capable of driving a car, something they've been "doing before you were born, dang it!"

Fact is, my father, at 59, is a CDL driver by trade, and probably one of the safest drivers on the road, having not a single at fault accident in his 43 (and then some) years of driving (and only one "not your fault" accident). Even he, who does it every day, and stays sharp, has changed his habits. He no longer drives as fast, he wears his glasses at all times (though he hates them), and so on.. The trick is, he, as a CDL driver, is required to undergo a physical every year.

So, if you find yourself driving a Buick, 20 MPH below the speed limit, straddling the white line, cowering in fear, struggling to see over the dash, shaking your fist at "darn kids", and believe every other driver to be a maniac (OK, you may be rght on that one), it's time to call it a career, and get a ride.

 

"I've lost my hair, my memory, my teeth, my hearing, and most of my friends. The doctor's got me on so many pills I can't even see straight. I've got a new hip, a new knee, and a new cane. Can't go near a microwave because of my pacemaker. But at least I've still got my Florida driver's license!"

Seriously, something has to be done. Anyone over 70 should be given a reaction-time test, period. I don't want to hear how careful older drivers are or how powerful a lobby the AARP has. You don't ever hear about 18 year-olds losing control of their car and driving through crowds of people. And if you think you have an argument against what I say, don't tell me- tell the families of the 10 dead people in CA. Just because some nice old man killed them instead of some crack head doesn't make them any less DEAD.

 

I feel strongly about the responsibility of all of us, concerning the driving habits of others. If you see a person driving in a dangerous manner, take the number and report them. That is all there is to it; It is not grassing on them, snitching or being spiteful. It is making a dangerous driver known to the authorities, so they can determine what to do about them. How would you feel if one day, driving down the road, you came across an elderly driver doing their thing, and ignored it, only to learn that 3 blocks down the road they killed a bunch of people at a bus stop? Would you still say "I can't report anyone, it is not the thing to do"/

In my opinion, such a scenario would be the responsibility of two persons: one, the unfit driver who hit the crowd, and two, you who saw the person, and did nothing.

I would hope that my experience driving goes to ensure I remain alert my entire driving career, but if I do not, I hope somebody does something to ensure my incompetence does not harm anyone.

I drive up to 100,000 miles a year, hold a CDL, and get the physical every 2 years, and would take a road test to keep that privilege as often as I had to. When I take a job with a company driving a truck, I have to take a road test, and believe me, they get me to take a written one too, watch safety videos and read the safety manual, so testing, and proving my ability is something I do not mind doing - in the 7 or 8 roadtests I have undertaken in recent times, I have had no problems at all, and passed everyone of them. I have also taught other people how to drive, and instruct at defensive driving courses, that I would suggest every one take yearly.

My opinion in this may make me unpopular, but I really do not care about that - If I can stop one person from inadvertently killing someone, I will have done my duty.

Theo

 

Dennis i agree 100%! IMO Todays kids are irresponsible when it comes to driving.

Elderly drivers i feel should be tested when they reach a certain age. Living in Fla i have seen my share of accidents caused by older drivers, However the number is slowly changing due to irresponsible younger(Kids) drivers.

On a side note: The media now since the incident in Ca has been highlighting every accident caused by elderly drivers. That in itself really irratates me.

 

Okay, I'm obligated to respond to this thread, being 71 years old! First off, if there was ever a case for "profiling", this is it. Being short and bald and old will set off most of you "Drivers" for just being there! Most of you hot shot younger folks are speeding anyway, male and female. I'll take any medical or driving test (written or practical or medical) that anyone else takes. As for Germany, "GIVE ME A BRAKE".

 

I don't think that being 16 and 1/2-18 is the problem. What the problem is in how kids are taught how to drive. In Germany it costs 1500-2000 dollars to get your license (but you do have to be 18). Here it costs about 500 dollars. Germans go through extensive driving coarses. Here we get videos of Goofy cartoons telling us what happens with reaction times. It's a joke. You have to go on 12 hours of driving with a teacher, 6 driving and 6 watching. I never did the 6 hours of watching, nobody does. I maybe did 4 and 1/2 of the required 6 hours. This is still fresh in my mind because I got my license a few years ago (19 now). For me to get my license, the state trooper checked to see if I knew the hand signals for turning. I proceeded down the street, took a right. Went about 500 feet, took a left and pulled over to the curb. Did a 3 point turn and went back. Passed. Doesn't seem like I really demonstrated that I can drive a car did it? 90% of the people on the road in the united states are driving a vehicle in such a way that if something happened out of the ordinary they would not know how to handle the car. Everyday I see people driving 80mph on a highway is limited to 65. It's dangerious to drive 65! I bet MANY of them have never ever slammed on the brakes at 80-85 mph and know how long it would take to stop that vehicle, let alone swerve out of the way to avoid an accident without losing control. You are not taught in driving school how to drive, you are taught how the rules of the road are and how you are suppose to deal with stop signs, red lights, and yield signs. There are always exceptions, but don't blame crappy drivers on the fact that they are young. Blame it on the government for not having regulations to teach new drivers how to drive.

 

As much as I hate to admit it, I really don't see a "true solution to the problem", just a bunch of band-aids.

Heres the problems I see, and bet that you can apply to every country including Germany.

1. Young adults who get some new freedom with a car and are unwise about the consequences, because, "It will never happen to me.".

2. People who forget that drivng a motor vehicle is a Priviledge, and not a Right.

3. No matter what solution is instutited, if any at all, this problem with still exist, and we can only hope to curb it.

Now I see some people mention Germany testing requirments and how that its much better, I have to dissagree on the difference of road systems, and that you still have factors 1 and 2 from above.

differences between the US and Germany, I'll use Interstate and Autobauhn.

Interstate:
Posted limits rangeing from 65-75mph

often long stretches of straight roads, varing grades, and often tight turns.

built on approx 11'' of concrete

often only a grass median separates oncomming traffic.

Most ticketing comes from excessive speed.

Autobauhn:
Originaly built to only have 7% grade, but now only to have 4% grade max (this allows for vehicles not slowing down due to hills).

Very long gentle curves, allows for driving at max speed.

Built on 23" + concrete, when even the smallest crack appears, the whole section is removed and re poured, not just repaired like in the US.

Most ticketing comes from driving too slow and passing on the right side, and reckless driving.

And not to mention the german cars are outfitted to drive at this rated of speeds, with improved steering, suspension, tires, etc.


The difference is the Interstate is only made to drive at the posted speeds and not much more.

Try and take a pickup truck and see if you can even hold a candle to that VW that past you like yore tied to a tree on the Autobauhn.