Elderly driving laws

lucky8

Expert Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Posts
3,623
Media
0
Likes
187
Points
193
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
That is just saying they can use the more expensive ways of doing things which we ordinary people do not. So either you give them all a hafty transport allowance extra pension, or they have to go without. It amounts to making the lives of the elderly harder. Its a choice.

I see your point here, and my argument would be if they can no longer drive, they no longer need to pay a monthly insurance rate on their car(s) or fill them up with gas. The cost would offset itself. And I'd have no problem if some sort of financial assistance was provided to help out if needed. I don't want to ban capable people from driving, but I do think if you're incapable of performing basic driving requirements due to deteriorating health because of aging, you should probably get off the road, whether by your own will or not
 

basque9

LPSG Legend
Verified
Gold
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Posts
6,056
Media
9,165
Likes
280,361
Points
618
Location
Maryland, United States of America
Verification
View
Sexuality
99% Gay, 1% Straight
Gender
Male
Whatever laws exist in a given state for driver licensing must be applied equitably across the entire age spectrum for legal age drivers. To consider drivers as a group over 70 as inherently less competent, without an unsafe driving record as evidence, is prejudicial! I think every state has a system that requires driver retraining and relicensing , for young and old, when the driving record warrants it! Let's just enforce the existing laws.
 
Last edited:

Jason

Superior Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Posts
15,616
Media
50
Likes
4,782
Points
433
Location
London (Greater London, England)
Verification
View
Sexuality
90% Gay, 10% Straight
Gender
Male
Where I live there are not public busses or taxi's. If you want to get anywhere you have to drive or walk. Public transport is just not an option for some people.

I'm aware that this is the case in many areas of the USA. It needs to change.

Part of the problem is an assumption by many in the USA that public transport(ation) is for the poor. Maybe in cities firms should have a public transport only day once a week to get people out of their cars.
 

Eric_8

Experimental Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Posts
3,559
Media
0
Likes
17
Points
73
Location
San Diego
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
I'm aware that this is the case in many areas of the USA. It needs to change.

Part of the problem is an assumption by many in the USA that public transport(ation) is for the poor. Maybe in cities firms should have a public transport only day once a week to get people out of their cars.

In many areas, this isn't an assumption.

That said, I'm one of those evil 1% Conservatives, so I'm not quite sure how the other half lives. I have a chauffeur who always has a freshly shaken martini and jar of Grey Poupon ready when I enter the vehicle :cool:
 

much2big

Experimental Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Posts
44
Media
0
Likes
3
Points
43
It was back in the late ‘80s when I read an article by an insurance adjuster that brought up the act that while drunken driving accidents were declining; the rate of accidents caused by elderly drivers was on the rise, rather dramatically.

He pointed out that it would only be a short period of time before the one passed the other as the most common cause of fatal auto accidents and he wondered if/how the insurance companies would adjust their rates accordingly. Naturally he was pilloried in the press.

Less than a decade later elderly accident rates eclipses those of drunken drivers in three states and again the topic of rate adjustments was brought up along with whether or not there would be a national campaign against elderly drivers as there was against drunk drivers.

The $hit hit the fan and as far as I am aware there has been absolutely no federal response to this situation even unto this day. I believe the numbers for elderly overtaking drunken drivers in accident rates now includes half a dozen states or more and attempts m insurance companies to adjust rates to these new facts have been met with an outcry of epic proportions from the AARP amongst others.

And from our law-makers? Crickets and frogs.