In your opinion, how old is too old to be driving?

Such a tricky subject - my opinion for typical people would be 78.

After that, if a person wanted to take a test to KEEP their license, they could. But even though I think that would be the smart/safe way to go, I think it would be heartbreaking to enforce it. I would never be in favor of it, since I think it would be inhumane to create such a law forcing the elderly to defend their rights to drive.

It might look like just that much more discrimination against the elderly (which I guess it would be).

Very interesting topic.

I assumed when I felt my grandparents wasnt capable <I felt their driving was a road hazard> I'd talk to them. as it turned out my grandmother found out she had myathenia gravis <think that's spelled right> and she quit driving on her own. My grandfather has almost quit altogether now, if he needs to go to the dr anymore he asks my uncle to drive him and they have some father son time which my uncle adores cause my uncle and I being the worry worts over my grandparents he wants that extra time before anything happens to grandpa <I'm out of state but I call every week once or twice at least>


I should add I dont have to worry about my dad and driving, he was too lazy to go get his liscense renewed and tags renewed so nothing is up to date <Mom did all that and she died 5 years ago> so he doesnt drive at all

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A friend's dad was in his 90's and still driving last we saw them! I think he was still "all there" (not sure if they're alive anymore, our friend died a couple years ago )

My grandfather is in his 80's and I think he still drives but won't drive long distance now, my grandmother says he falls asleep too easily so not sure if they're going to make it to my sister's graduation this year

I think it depends on their health. I would think my father shouldn't be allowed to drive anymore and he's not even 60 yet.

It all depends on the person. Some are capable well into their 80's and even 90's. Others need to be off the road in their 60's. My dad will be 78 in a couple of months and still drives very well. My children ride with him a few times a month and they let me know how his driving skills are and would be quick to tell me if his driving was unacceptable. I had an 83 yr. old uncle die recently that drove only in very short distances and even that was questionable. One of uncle's buddies was a 90 yr old man that simply amazed me. Not only did he still drive, he looked younger than my uncle.
So this is actually a loaded question IMHO.

I agree that it depends on the person. Each of us age differently and have different health issues.

I like the idea of being tested past a certain age.

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I agree that it depends on the person

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Brenda

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I agree. I know 50 yr olds who shouldn't even be walking much less drving and I have known 80 yr olds who had more life, vitality and good health than myself.

On the other hand once you get 60 a mandatory drving test (at least in the simulator) should be given on at least a bi-annual schedule.

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I agree as well, it depends on the person.

I DO think that ALL people should be made to take the ENTIRE driving test (driving, written and eye) after any kind of stroke or heart attack. My great grandpa was in his 90's and had several strokes yet they renewed his license because he passed the eye exam. It took the man 10 min to walk to the bathroom and you're telling me he could stop if a child ran out in front of him???? I think not. He could barely walk. We "turned him in" so to speak and he was PISSED they took away his license. He felt they had no right and he wasn't a danger no matter how much we told him he was. My great grandma is now 99 and she still drives although we wish she didn't. She's in great health and but lately her mental abilities aren't quite there. She's in another state so not much we can do.

There are so many variables....some shouldn't drive at 20 and many shouldn't be driving at 60. My town has a lot of seniors and it shows on the road. If someone can't drive the speed limit and/or obey the laws of the raod, they shouldn't be driving....no matter what their age is

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I also agree that it depends on the person. Some people should have NEVER been allowed to drive. LOL I know a few of those. I have a friend in her 80's that still drives well- better than most. I hope when my parents can't drive they quit without me having to tell them. DH's Dad did that. He was in his 80's.

I don't think there should be an age limit. Everyone's abilities decline at a different rate. Although the elderly might be more likely to be in fender-benders, I think the really horrendous cases tend to be young people who are just being idiots. There are exceptions, of course, but all the elderly folks I know are pretty aware of their limitations. For instance, my mom is 83. She won't drive at night or if the weather is bad. She only drives to familiar places -- all of which are within about 15 miles of her home and she stays off the highway. I been in the car with her and her driving is fine.

I think it really depends on the individual so there should not be a set age, but instead some kind of review process.

My grandmother on my dad's side was over 90 and still driving -- just short trips a few miles to town to go to church or grocery shopping -- although as she got closer to 95, my family said her ability was questionable.

My grandparents on my moms side gave up driving voluntarily in their 80s. At first the gave up night driving and then eventually driving all together when they felt they were no longer safe drivers. My parents lived nearby so my mom would take them to Dr. appointments or the grocery store or wherever they needed to go or bring them what they needed.

Sarah.......mom to Jason & Devin

I agree it depends on the person, not the age. I would rather ride with some of the older folks than most of the teenagers who are driving now!

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I wish they would test more than the eyes when you reach a certain age. Refexes are so important. I will not go anywhere with my mom unless I drive. She has a "suicide knob" on her steering wheel to help her steer. She's 71 but my dad who is 72 is a fantastic driver. I agree it should go on a person by person basis, but how would they do that?

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Mary

I think you're the first family member I've ever heard of who was actually willing to do this. I'm sure it wasn't an easy thing to do -- but it certainly was the right thing to do.

When my MIL gets to that point (we are watching her like a hawk), we will do the same thing -- I don't care how mad she gets, we won't let her endanger herself or others

I agree that everyone is different.

It depends a lot on whether they EVER were good drivers? If they were never good drivers they sure aren't going to improve with age!

I think that my DH will be a good driver when he is old as he has always been a good driver and he hs a lot of expirence. He used to over 800 miles a week.
But my dad NEVER was a good driver. {{ sigh}}

I remember the day I had to speak to my wonderful kind dear father and tell him that I didn't think he should be driving. It was due to his health and medications and we both cried. He was still confident in his abilities, until I told him to think of others, the others he might hurt and that just did him in. He stopped driving that day. When his health improved months later we as a family re-evaluated the situation and he could drive again. My mom was always healthy and in absolutely full control of her faculties and drove up until her sudden death at 89. She didn't do highway or night driving tho.

It really is up to the person, their health and hopefully they take the advice of their family.

I had a boss who in his 70's drove me to a luncheon, and although he was still a college professor I was terrified in that car. He was so short he had to look through the steering wheel!

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I remember being at an intersection. There was an obviously older woman facing me. She was in the wrong lane and she was on the other side of the light. You could see she was confused. She sat through two green lights because she could not see them and she was trying to figure out why there were cars in her lane facing her. I finally had to roll my window and signal and mouth to her to go around. It took a while but she finally did it. I felt bad for her but I should have called the police or something. She could kill herself or someone else.

I am scared of the day coming someday for me. But Mom is over 70 and drives quite well so maybe I'll be okay too. It's sad to take someone's independence and freedom away even if it should be done.

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I don't think there is an age but mostly their health. I'm nearly 43 and I have had to quit driving at night due to severe eyesight loss. If the person is 90 but in great health I don't have a problem with it.

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I throught in some states after the age of 60 they make take the test again and they have drivers education. I live in a state where a lot of elderly live and most of them are awful drivers No patience at all.

I, too, think that everyone is different.

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I am another one who believes it depends on the person.

However, I will admit that I would love to see the driving test a mandatory requirement in order to get your license renewed (I think it is every 5 years in WA) - no test - no renewal - , PLUS I believe that in order to get your license renewed that it should be mandatory to show that you have auto insurance (however that is a moot point - but if you had to take your drivers test again, you would have to show insurance in order to take the test). But if the drivers test is not mandatory, I would love to see the insurance thing a requirement to get license renewed (of course, this is a whole different thread, lol).

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