Retesting Drivers?

[chrisj]

I promise I don't start these threads to get people upset, but I think some of them are important things to talk about...however...

My father will be 80 years old in Jan. He's had his driver's license since 16. Although he hasn't had any accidents (yet...knock wood), he scares me to death when I ride with him.

I think drivers should be retested (written AND driving parts) at certain ages. If they don't pass, they stop driving...or at least they lose their license. I think retesting should occur maybe at 50, then every 10 years afterward or something. I see old people who can't even walk getting into vehicles and speeding off. I see little old ladies who couldn't possibly be able to see over the steering wheel!

What do you think about it?

[severous01]

my grandpa is 85 and i tell everyone i know to beware pewter malibu's. he should not be on the street. well, behind the wheel on a street any way. i wish he'd test but then....he'd lose his 'independence'. i feel for him, but he is a danger to everyone else. he's been in more wrecks in the last 5 years than ever in his life.

any way. driving is a privilege not a requirement...i would be ok with testing every renewal of license.



wow pk...that's a lot of specifics.

[Kioshi]

Every Asian driver should be retested...and this includes me as well~ I'm Asian.
And I kind of like Pavel's suggestions...for once ;)

[why?]

There should be some sort of retesting, but it is impossible to say exactly what because every state is so different. In florida a license lasts a decade.

[TLyttle]

Been driving since I was 12, haven't caused anything but a slight bump in all that time. Sure, test me, I'll take the tester on a ride he will never forget; see, there's this road behind town... Retesting doesn't bother me at all.

If I generate an accident, at that moment I will seriously consider giving up my license voluntarily, regardless of the problems it will cause for me: no public transit, no cabs, only alternative transport is my bicycle, not the greatest in snow and -10C, but so be it. At (nearly) 72, I consider driving to be a privilege, not a right; an accident is a warning that I no longer earn the privilege.

Clearly, many of my peers don't see it my way!

[firebob]

I would think every 5 or 10 years no matter what age you are. Think about how much work the DMV have now just think about how much more it would be with some of the ideas that have been posted. In VA they are making people take the written test if you get tickets during between renewals.

[SailDesign]

My British driving license, which I got in the mid-70's, runs out in 2025, on my 70th birthday. I have to be re-tested then, and I think it's a great idea. I believe that then you are re-tested every 5 or ten years from there (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong).
The fact that you don't have to renew the stupid piece of paper, which really just says "This guy passed" every 4 years is a blessing, as I can go back to England, 25 years after leaving it, and still hire a car at "local" rates. ;-)

[1stToyota]

I promise I don't start these threads to get people upset, but I think some of them are important things to talk about...however...

My father will be 80 years old in Jan. He's had his driver's license since 16. Although he hasn't had any accidents (yet...knock wood), he scares me to death when I ride with him.

I think drivers should be retested (written AND driving parts) at certain ages. If they don't pass, they stop driving...or at least they lose their license. I think retesting should occur maybe at 50, then every 10 years afterward or something. I see old people who can't even walk getting into vehicles and speeding off. I see little old ladies who couldn't possibly be able to see over the steering wheel!

What do you think about it?

I think it would have saved my grandmother from nearly killing herself and injuring others if she would have retested. Her eyes, reflexes and ears aren't what they used to be and I think that's why she had 3 accidents (she was found at fault in all 3 accidents and Allstate dropped her) once she got around 85 yrs of age. Plus there probably was lots of close calls that we never knew about.