Do You Really Want to Take the Car Away From Grandma?
By admin on Apr 10, 2008 in Social

When is it time to stop driving?
After all, driving is the last symbol of independence for the elderly. And generally the older drivers drive too slowly to cause major accidents. But when they do kill, it always makes headlines.
Here are 11 huge obstacles elderly drivers face.
1. Peripheral vision
2. Distance Judgment
3. Speed and gap perception
4. Neck and shoulder stiffness
5. Slower response times
6. Individual medical problems
7. Cars with complicated gadgetry
8. Weather conditions
9. Adapting to glare from oncoming traffic
10. Too many distractions such as signs and billboards
11. Not being able to hear sirens and horns
Here are some of the solutions:
Australia: Mandatory testing by a doctor every year
Japan: Incentives to stop driving such as discounted chiropractic appointments and free delivery from department stores
Canada: Possible limited driver's licenses- one size does not fit all
Germany: Voluntary health checks, but mainly more driving help such as available driving schools for older drivers
U.S. More user-friendly cars for the elderly. (The Ford Focus is the top selling car for elderly drivers in the UK who are over 65 because it is easy to manage and has seats that are the right height.)

Here are more questions:
1. What if we take the car away too early? Older people would be forced to go into nursing homes and assisted living. That means more expenses and busy families would have to take over running errands.
2. Aren't accidents caused by people of all ages?
For example, for 44 years my Dad used to keep the phone number of a commercial glass company beside his typewriter because so many customers of all ages used to drive through the side plate glass window at his drugstore.
3. What about cell phones? How many elderly drivers are causing accidents while on the phone?
4. Who's really watching 16-year-olds? What about their driving record as a group? Is that something to brag about?
5. What about the areas where traffic laws are not enforced? Is it really the aggressive older drivers who are speeding, running red lights, and tailgating on a regular basis?
Driving is still a major necessity for people of all ages. Taking the keys away from an elderly driver should be done only as a last resort.
Popularity: 22% [?]

Tags: Social, driving test for elderly drivers, elderly drivers dangerous, elderly drivers pro arguments
APA Related Posts
-
Are States Getting Stricter About Senior Drivers? Some state may be getting stricter about senior drivers. Tennessee is one state that seems to be cracking down on elderly drivers who have had accidents. The senior driver may find himself in a maze as he attempts to get his license back. That involves re-taking the eye test and...... -
Cars That Can Park Themselves Cars that can park themselves are not new. I think Lexus has already developed this. What's new is that cheaper cars will be available that can park themselves. The young people over at Buzz Feed think this is a stupid idea from Ford. I beg to differ with them. I...... -
Are Elderly Drivers Really That Dangerous? Are elderly drivers really that dangerous? We all worry about our parents driving but senior driving statistics are showing a surprising trend. Accidents are down in the senior driving age group. Here's a post on that which is both interesting and reassuring. Read Elderly Drivers Causing Accidents? But I thought...... -
Beating of Elderly Victim Is An Outrage Elderly vicitm Natalie Vinge almost died after being kidnapped by three teens in an unprecidented criminal act. Fortunately after being gagged with duck tape and driven around in the back of her small cross over car, Natalie's life was save by a vigilant police officer who pulled the teens over...... -
Younger Golfers Complain about Older Golfers When my golf fanatic nephew was ten, his mother often dropped him off at a public golf course so he could play. It was also a good way for him to make new friends. âTell me about your new friends,â my sister-in-law asked him one day after picking him up.......
APA Related Websites
-
500 More Useless Facts [/caption] Most American car horns honk in the key of F. The name Wendy was made up for the book "Peter Pan." Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Every time you lick a stamp, you consume 1/10 of a calorie. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes. Studies...... -
Tips and Considerations to Buy a Hybrid Car Many people find themselves considering whether or not they should buy a hybrid car. With the rising costs associated with gas and maintenance of regular gas-driven vehicles, it is becoming less and less affordable for people to own vehicles in this day and age. As a result of the increases...... -
New Job, New You I spent 17 years working at a job I hated, afraid to pursue my passions. I’ve spent the past two years doing something I love, and the difference in my attitude is like night and day. Some folks take the position that a job is just a job, that it’s...... -
25 Tips For Making Your Own Car Greener Instead Of Buying A Hybrid. Photo by freeparkingAlthough you could go out and buy a Prius (and believe me, I would like one), there are some things that you can do to make your existing ride a little bit more green and environmentally friendly for a lot less money. Of course, using a car sharing...... -
Car Collectibles 101 The word of collectibles is full of a wide variety of different objects and interesting things, including car collectibles for example. What makes collectibles so interesting is that there is something out there for everyone, every taste, every personality, and car collectibles are absolutely no exception to this rule. The......





2 Comment(s)
By Brennan Kingsland on Apr 10, 2008 | Reply
I agree! Last resort, only if physical problems make continuing to drive unsafe.
The majority of elderly drivers stay slow and to the right side. I had a cousin who drove until she was 92, and drove all her friends around. She never had or caused an accident. Her vision started to really deteriorate after her 92nd birthday, and she gave up the keys willingly and moved into a lovely and exclusive assisted-living facility. She passed away in her sleep just 8 months later.
The ability to drive should be judged on a person-by-person basis, rather than at some arbitrary age. (Unless you mean taking the keys away from teenagers – statisticallythe deadliest group around, both to themselves and others.)
Brennan Kingsland's last blog post..25th Education Report Anniversary?
By Dorothy on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
The best possible answer the problem of detecting aging parents who need to hang up the keys (and who often go out of their way to HIDE
the need to quit driving, until it may be too late,) is to stop assuming that it's always advancing age that makes a previously fit driver unfit. Between substance abuse, undetected medical problems and perhaps even the occasional incorrect prescription, there are plenty of reasons to test and RE-TEST the ENTIRE POPULATION of any given area. If this were done every five years, regardless of any driver's age, how many lives could be saved?
No adult child would ever have to go through the
unnecessary anguish of trying to 'guess' whether Mom or Dad is a fit driver, or worse, having to be the bearer of bad news.
Yes, we'd all grumble about having to go be tested, and there'd be a real stink about even the most reasonable fee. But think of all the jobs we could create in a needy economy!