With the general population getting older, when should they have their drivers licenses revoked?

Ugh, this type of problem is very much on my mind. My mother - who is not yet elderly - is impaired in many of the ways that senior citizens are, and sees it clearly as a matter of ego when it comes to giving up even the tiniest right or sense of mobility. Driving being the big enchilada!

Yes, I do feel that there should be an age limit. If I ran the world, no one older than 80 would be allowed to drive. And starting at age 65, seniors would have to undergo strict tests in ever single state.

Currently only a handful of states require special drivers tests based on age. Most senior rights groups lobby hard to prevent any kind of legal measures from passing to restrict the freedoms of seniors. But at what cost?

Senior drivers - whether most like to admit it or not - suffer from body and mind deterioration. Here are some of the most common hazards from seniors: 1. ) PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Frequent usage of prescription medications that can cause weakness, drowsiness, confusion, light-headedness, and many other side effects.

And that's even assuming that they're taking prescriptions properly. Many seniors easily confuse dosages, potentially causing dangerous interactions that will greatly affect their ability to drive. 2.) BODY DETERIORATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The body of the average senior citizen has deteriorating tone and strength.

Bones become weak and brittle. This can often cause improper operation of foot pedals and the steering wheel. Eyesight in most senior citizens is greatly diminished, often without corrective lenses to aid them.

This can cause not only trouble seeing other cars and lanes, but can affect their ability to read traffic lights, and skew their depth perception. Hearing is also commonly worse in senior citizens, causing them to be unaware of honking, emergency vehicle sirens, or even train crossing warnings.3.) MENTAL STATE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Many seniors (not all) experience confusion and less-than-lucid thinking semi-regularly. This can cause panic, disorientation, and the inability to react to dangerous or emergency situations.

Weaving in and out of lanes. Depressing the gas, when they mean to hit the brake. Plus, many seniors who are frustrated by their diminished capacity can become short tempered (trust me - both of my grandfathers take it out on others when they can't remember what's going on!

). This can lead to aggression and road rage. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With all of this in mind, I don't want my mother (as my example of a senior) to drive for her OWN safety, let alone the safety of innocent travelers.

Will she go quietly? No way. She won't even wait for anyone to vacuum the carpet for her.

Or wait until tomorrow for the laundry to get folded. And I really, really DO feel sympathy for the loss of mobility. Honest.

But it's a hard, cruel fact of life that our bodies deteriorate. And when that puts others in danger, you have no business being behind the wheel. We wouldn't let children behind the wheel, would we?

There's a reason. A good safety reason. I wish that the senior groups would refocus their efforts to setting up free mass transportation projects for seniors, instead of lobbying to keep them driving long past when it's safe.

And in case you think that the laws in place currently work well enough, consider that my grandmother just had her driver's license renewed in Florida. She is legally blind. She can't see to walk, and can't make out steps or curbs right in front of her.

She was found in lying in a ditch in front of her house, not know where she was (not in a car). But she drives to Wal-Mart (god help me! ) every day.

And no family can talk her out of it. Because the LAW SAYS SHE CAN DRIVE. That's her excuse.

And we have no recourse to stop her. The laws are not good enough to protect her or others. And she's going to kill someone soon.

And my mom's not much better. The laws need to change.

I have a problem with categorizing people because of their chronological age. Some senior citizens are just as alert and carefull as they were when they were younger. I've seen reckles younger people too, even when they are driving with their children.So should their licences be revoked just because they've got to a certain age?

Maybe not. Should they take the test more often? It may work.

On the other hand. How do you move in a city that has been designed for drivers and not for pedestrians? Is the public transport adequate for senior citizens?

I really think the problem is doctors. I have known instances where senior citizens have been told that they have to get a doctors note to continue to drive, and the doctor gave them a note without regard to whether or not they should be driving. I know of at least three times that this happened in New URL1 maybe there should be specific doctors to determine this, NOT the guy you regularly go to.

After 80 a person should have to get a note every year.

It would be great if everyone, regardless of age bad their license reviewed every time they were found guilty of a moving vehicle violation. This review would be just a simple driving test. Nothing written or complicated.

However, it would act as an inconvenience / daturent for folks who get tickets and allow "the man" to review basic skills. Also, cops should start giving tickets for people driving too slow. I don't think that anyone should drive faster than they are comfortable with, but if a person isn't comfortable driving the speed limit then they should take a sideroad.

In general eyesight testing as well as overall cognitive function should be tested at a higher level for all drivers, especially teen and elderly drivers. news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q... This is getting a bit scary youtube.com/watch?v=6RqAW0PST9s.

I don't think it should be about age. My grandfather is 83, and he still drives well. However, I realize that he is in the minority.

I do think that there should be periodic tests for ALL drivers, especially if they have been the cause of one (or more) accidents.

Good question. More serious problem as the aging population grows and still drives. Each area needs to make their own laws, yes.In our area, you need to pass a vision test every 4 years for renewal.

That's all. I personally think that anyone over the age of 70 should have a medical doctors examination, answer thorough questions to the doctor, and be certified to drive. We were in a high impact head on collision by a non-senior (inattention, drug induced, who knows!

) happens at any age. Yes, impaired drivers are a serious problem at any age. I still feel the pain.......... I still do not drive because I don't feel alert enough.

I am a 57 year old, young lady :) I know some seniors who drive fine, some not. I take a serious stand on it, not all of them listen. Driving is a responsibility, not a privilege.

It's really funny I was talking to my mom about this situation just earlier today and then I see it here on mahalo. I asked "Don't you think that at a certain age for the elderly, can't the DMV check how able they are to drive like 3-4 times a year and once they fail a test, they have the possibility to lose their lincense?

In The Netherlands, everyone over seventy has to undergo a driving test every five years. If you fail, your license is revoked. There is no absolute maximum.

I think this is a fair system.

Where I live there are no rules about when should an older person have his/her license revoked. I had this conversation with several family members in the past, because my extended family loves to drive. Most of us agree that the government should make a law about older people and driving.

This is one of our ideas: After a driver turns sixty years old, the government should demand them to take a driving test each year. If the sixty-year-old driver cannot pass the test, he has another chance to take it, in order to keep his driver license. If the driver does not pass the exam after the second time his license should be revoke, end of the story.By the way, many of my family members have decided not to drive at nighttime or at all, because they understand that is not safe for them.

We help them and take them to their doctors' appointments and grocery shopping. It is the best thing to do.

The problem right now is family members. People are afraid to tell their parents it's "time". My mother was diagnosed with early Alzheimer's at age 67.

Her doctor said it was fine for her to continue driving. My siblings and I thought he was nuts-- and had a very tough conversation with her. We took her car and keys away.

Was it really tough for her? Yep. Was it necessary?Absolutely.

Her not driving made OUR lives harder- but it was necessary. I see many other close friends refuse to do that--allowing drivers who don't have the physical capacity to push the brake pedal down continue to drive because "It would kill them to lose their independence. " I think there need to be the following actions taken: #A public awareness campaign about the dangers of drivers who are mentally, visually, or physically impaired.

#A road test required with every license renewal after age 70. After age 80, you should need to renew your license annually-- with a road and vision test. #Doctors REQUIRED to report to the RMV any patients they feel may have driving issues.My two cents.

I don't think it should be revoked but I do believe that once you hit a certain age ie. 70 you should be tested again and then every few years.

I think 65 would be the age to revoke a license from a senior citizen. However they should be provided with a community driver at their disposal.

This is a good question, I've seen older people drive with no reguards for others. I do think some should be put to a test at a certain point. It's sad though because some of them just have to get out and have no one to take them places.

But really some of them will run you off the road! There should really be more services out there for them.

I think EVERYONE no matter what the age should have to take a written drivers test at least every ten years, and if they fail that then they should have to take a driving test.

I feel that you can just about tell from being around an elderly person if they are capable of driving. My mother in law became the worse driver ever, she not only drove unusually slow, but she would not even pay attention to the road, she would be looking around and talking to whoever was in the car with her. Many elder people do these things and I feel that is when they should have their license revoked.

Of course they will argue, but I believe taking their license away makes them feel several different things and one is being independent and who wants that taken away.

Well, this answer has many answers to it. I think that after a certain age they should not be allowed to drive. Another, idea is that they should have to take another driver's test.

If they pass it they can drive again for the next two years. However, if they don't, they loose their license FOREVER! If they can take away illegal immigrants' right to drive, event though they have no physical impairment or less able than the rest of the population, the DMV can surely do the same for seniors.

I don't think a persons right to drive should be revoked or taken away just because they are a senior citizen. A person of any age that are a hazard on the road or a person that can no longer operate a vehicle in full physical capacity should not be allowed to drive.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.