After my daughter was tboned in her car she,s battered an bruised but at home recovering.......found out the driver that hit her was 88 and mistook the gas pedal for the break!
Question : should driving tests be retook at a certain age?
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I see this sort of accident on a regular basis through work and have first hand experience of the aftermath of many, so yes I believe the driving test should be re-taken at a certain point. Last week's occurrence was an 85 year old lady who was oblivious to the crossroads she was heading towards and just sailed across without looking.
At what point the test is re-taken is the question though. |
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Having to retake a driving test should not be age dependent. If we want to bring in extra tests to ensure people are still safe to drive it should be for everyone. For example, take a new test every 5 years. I’ll bet that will reduce the amount of cars on the road 
In the case of older drivers, instead of relying on them knowing its time to hand back their licence or on their family to persuade them to give up, I think there should be medical checks at regular intervals to make sure that they are safe to continue driving.
I also think that it should be mandatory for all drivers to have evidence of last eye test so that they can prove that they meet the minimum required standard. When I worked in opticians we would regularly see patients who did not meet the standards and had never had an eye test before. One had vision so bad that the optician threatened to call the police as he was intending to drive home. Not only would he not see a number plate, he was unlikely to see the bloody car! |
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"To answer that I think you need to evaluate the statistics around age and crash rates. I think you'll find not that many older people are involved in crashes.
Hope your daughter is ok X "
Thankyou xx |
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By *ugga81Man
over a year ago
West Malling |
I've been doing a lot of driving for work the last couple of years.
The most dangerous things I've seen have been from the younger male drivers who have made bad decisions. And the older drivers of both sexes who simply are unable to control their vehicle or react to the environment around them.
I'm not sure which is worse, though I believe insurance company data consider the young to be a higher risk. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I'm currently trying to reason with my Dad to get rid of his car
They don't go far, maybe Asda twice a week, but it is a worry that he will cause an accident
He isn't at his best or most astute any more and thinking of him behind the wheel terrifies me
He is having none of it though |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I'm not sure about resitting tests but I do think that there should be some sort of physical and mental assessment at a certain age. If someone is so frail they can barely walk from their house to their car I'm nit convinced they should be driving.
The problem we have is that public transport is so shocking that taking away the elderly's car will leave them far more isolated which raises another set of problems and is why so many pensioners will resist.
But as a country we are very relaxed about who we let drive, you can kill someone and be banned for less than a year (granted that's becoming far less comnon) you can lose your licence for drink driving or speeding and be back driving in a year Lose your licence agaim and you might be off the roads for 2 or 3 years, it arms an easy target to say pensioners shouldn't be driving when much of the death and destruction on our roads isn't caused by them |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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No accidents happen.
I ride a bike and drive, hands down the worst drivers on the road are 30ish year old women in people carriers. (Please dont take this as being sexist ect as im not... it purely observation)
I ride up and down the country and every near miss is pretty much always a 30 somthing year old women in people carriers. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"No accidents happen.
I ride a bike and drive, hands down the worst drivers on the road are 30ish year old women in people carriers. (Please dont take this as being sexist ect as im not... it purely observation)
I ride up and down the country and every near miss is pretty much always a 30 somthing year old women in people carriers."
You're not the first man here to moan about women in their prime bumping him, but not quite |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I think driving tests should be done every 10 years. It's not only older drivers who make mistakes. Plenty of younger drivers get lazy or sloppy.
Should be free, providing you pass. If you fail, you have to pay to text again.
Genuinely think the roads would be safer! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
My parents car was "hit" by a little old lady who had never had a sight test  "
Sight tests should be compulsory for all drivers I think. Once every couple of years would be enough and in this day and age I'm sure the DVLA could find a relatively easy way of linking the information to a driving licence. It's not like it's difficult to get an eye test |
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"
My parents car was "hit" by a little old lady who had never had a sight test
Sight tests should be compulsory for all drivers I think. Once every couple of years would be enough and in this day and age I'm sure the DVLA could find a relatively easy way of linking the information to a driving licence. It's not like it's difficult to get an eye test "
I spent 6 years working in opticians and saw some cases where people had such bad eyesight they would struggle to see the car, let alone the number plate! People who had never had an eye test but come in because their doctor sent them because of headaches. The worst one I saw was someone who needed -3.00D glasses and couldn’t read the top line unaided yet was driving, in a company vehicle, every day for work! |
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Not to say prevention of accidents (and deaths) is not worth the effort, but the infrastructure isn't there to cope with new drivers taking tests, let alone re-testing others.
My licence expires at age 70. My belief is that to drive past this date you have to get a doctor's approval. That used to be the case but not sure if it still is. |
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All good points but an 88 year old who took their test say 68 years ago....the test then was completely different I'm assuming and so were cars, and the amount of traffic on the roads.....tbh I'm not concerned with the cost of retesting surely if you drive a *lethal weapon* then safety must be priority.... |
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Retests should be brought in at a set age as the roads have got alot busier and not to mention the new types of roads like the smart motorways which some people seem to struggle to understand how to use.
Also medicals need to be brought in for everyone and not just for hgv drivers.
Glad she's home and on the mend xx |
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"Retests should be brought in at a set age as the roads have got alot busier and not to mention the new types of roads like the smart motorways which some people seem to struggle to understand how to use.
Also medicals need to be brought in for everyone and not just for hgv drivers.
Glad she's home and on the mend xx"
Thanku KP xx |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Hope she's OK. Some old ppl are hideously selfish and protective of their independence. I had a relative who drove despite poor eyesight, saying he was OK in the daytime, just not at night, and it pissed me right off....   |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Regular medicals after a certain age, including eyesight tests etc. If you fail your licence isn't renewed, if you don't take it your licence isn't renewed.
The HGV drivers that work for me and are over 45 have to have one every 5 years. Maybe start something similar at age 65 for car drivers and at age 80 start having annual medicals. |
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"Hope she's OK. Some old ppl are hideously selfish and protective of their independence. I had a relative who drove despite poor eyesight, saying he was OK in the daytime, just not at night, and it pissed me right off.... "
She,s still a bit sore but ok....off work for a bit but still here which is all that counts.... |
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There is a question as to whether self certifying you're safe to drive every 3 years after you're 70 is really enough
A form of currency test ... every 10 years when you have to renew your licence ... or 3 after aged 70 may be prudent
Hope the baby bandit is ok x |
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"There is a question as to whether self certifying you're safe to drive every 3 years after you're 70 is really enough
A form of currency test ... every 10 years when you have to renew your licence ... or 3 after aged 70 may be prudent
Hope the baby bandit is ok x"
Thanks bib |
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"I hope your daughter is ok.
As for forcing people to stop driving, perhaps if we cared for old people better, they wouldn’t be so frightened of giving up what they see as their independence "
Thanks kid ...x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My 86 year old father in law was crashed into by a younger driver. They were at fault. He's left shaken and going through physio. I think younger drivers should retake their tests. Every year. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I think the point I'm trying to make is back in the day hazard perception was a slap on the dash.....now it's a computer simulation....driving has evolved so must the drivers surely...."
I think drink/ drug/ mobile phone users/ etc. Etc. Are far more dangerous. And that typically won't apply to the older generation. |
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"I think the point I'm trying to make is back in the day hazard perception was a slap on the dash.....now it's a computer simulation....driving has evolved so must the drivers surely....
I think drink/ drug/ mobile phone users/ etc. Etc. Are far more dangerous. And that typically won't apply to the older generation. "
True, but that is illegal acts, we all need to be in the same page as to the driving test it's self......tbh I wonder after 30 odd years would I pass it now... |
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"No.
A medical, yes. A test no.
And maybe a few years back, but didn't ITV run a series with OAPs driving and if they needed to do a test and most passed?
Can't remember name of it.
"
Why no test though? I'm not getting that driving and cars have evolved why not the drivers? |
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"I think the point I'm trying to make is back in the day hazard perception was a slap on the dash.....now it's a computer simulation....driving has evolved so must the drivers surely....
I think drink/ drug/ mobile phone users/ etc. Etc. Are far more dangerous. And that typically won't apply to the older generation.
True, but that is illegal acts, we all need to be in the same page as to the driving test it's self......tbh I wonder after 30 odd years would I pass it now..."
I don't think a full driving test re-take is needed ... but a safety and competence test of some sort |
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By *Man1263Man
over a year ago
Stockport |
"No.
A medical, yes. A test no.
And maybe a few years back, but didn't ITV run a series with OAPs driving and if they needed to do a test and most passed?
Can't remember name of it.
Why no test though? I'm not getting that driving and cars have evolved why not the drivers?"
Just because people have passed a test on a given day, does not prove they are a decent driver.
Also, how do you test reaction time's? Some people react faster than others and that can be down to years driving.
I drive a truck, and young driver's scare me due to lack to experience and over confidence leading them to take risk's in front of me.
The older (by that I mean OAP age) driver normally does not take that risk (but they are slower) and as such put myself and others in less harms way.
So how do you test for that?
My view is, if you can't see, bye bye.
If you have serious heart problems, bye bye.
But having stopped and helped a woman having an epileptic fit (getting her tongue out of her throat), should she be tested every year?
(I would guess at mid 30's) |
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"No.
A medical, yes. A test no.
And maybe a few years back, but didn't ITV run a series with OAPs driving and if they needed to do a test and most passed?
Can't remember name of it.
Why no test though? I'm not getting that driving and cars have evolved why not the drivers?"
Because driving cars now is a piece of piss compared to when OAPs passed their tests. Even getting the thing started meant care with the ch0ke (remember them?) and the accelerator.
Brakes were poor and you couldn’t just bang the pedal down and let the ABS sort it all out. Watching the road surface was much more important when cars in the 1950s and 60s had such appalling tyres and suspension |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"No.
A medical, yes. A test no.
And maybe a few years back, but didn't ITV run a series with OAPs driving and if they needed to do a test and most passed?
Can't remember name of it.
Why no test though? I'm not getting that driving and cars have evolved why not the drivers?
Because driving cars now is a piece of piss compared to when OAPs passed their tests. Even getting the thing started meant care with the ch0ke (remember them?) and the accelerator.
Brakes were poor and you couldn’t just bang the pedal down and let the ABS sort it all out. Watching the road surface was much more important when cars in the 1950s and 60s had such appalling tyres and suspension "
Yep I agree. The road awareness hasn't changed. I think people are actually lazier now as everything is done for them. So OP I don't agree. |
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"No.
A medical, yes. A test no.
And maybe a few years back, but didn't ITV run a series with OAPs driving and if they needed to do a test and most passed?
Can't remember name of it.
Why no test though? I'm not getting that driving and cars have evolved why not the drivers?
Just because people have passed a test on a given day, does not prove they are a decent driver.
Also, how do you test reaction time's? Some people react faster than others and that can be down to years driving.
I drive a truck, and young driver's scare me due to lack to experience and over confidence leading them to take risk's in front of me.
The older (by that I mean OAP age) driver normally does not take that risk (but they are slower) and as such put myself and others in less harms way.
So how do you test for that?
My view is, if you can't see, bye bye.
If you have serious heart problems, bye bye.
But having stopped and helped a woman having an epileptic fit (getting her tongue out of her throat), should she be tested every year?
(I would guess at mid 30's)"
People with epilepsy are not permitted a driving licence |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I think the point I'm trying to make is back in the day hazard perception was a slap on the dash.....now it's a computer simulation....driving has evolved so must the drivers surely....
I think drink/ drug/ mobile phone users/ etc. Etc. Are far more dangerous. And that typically won't apply to the older generation. "
I'm sick of seeing people in town messing with their phones while driving. |
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By *Man1263Man
over a year ago
Stockport |
"No.
A medical, yes. A test no.
And maybe a few years back, but didn't ITV run a series with OAPs driving and if they needed to do a test and most passed?
Can't remember name of it.
Why no test though? I'm not getting that driving and cars have evolved why not the drivers?
Just because people have passed a test on a given day, does not prove they are a decent driver.
Also, how do you test reaction time's? Some people react faster than others and that can be down to years driving.
I drive a truck, and young driver's scare me due to lack to experience and over confidence leading them to take risk's in front of me.
The older (by that I mean OAP age) driver normally does not take that risk (but they are slower) and as such put myself and others in less harms way.
So how do you test for that?
My view is, if you can't see, bye bye.
If you have serious heart problems, bye bye.
But having stopped and helped a woman having an epileptic fit (getting her tongue out of her throat), should she be tested every year?
(I would guess at mid 30's)
People with epilepsy are not permitted a driving licence"
Wrong.
If you have a fit then yes it gets taken away. However, if you can prove no fits within a year, you get it back.
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My parents car was "hit" by a little old lady who had never had a sight test 