Driving Test for the over 70s.

[DonM]

When you get to 70 you have to renew your license every 3 years. At 70 you have the option of keeping your full entitlement with a medical or being restricted to driving vehicles up to 3500kg without a medical. As my motorhome was under 3500kg when I reached 70 I never bothered with the medical. So for the last 12 years I just signed that I had no problems.

Personally I would like to see everybody have a medical and get an eyesight test every time they renew the over 70 license. I've noticed over the years my observation and anticipation is nowhere as good as it was, I know this but many drivers don't.

[Daffodil]

I am puzzled as to why so many incidents involving elderly people are in the centre of towns. They usually are situations where the driver has mounted the pavement at speed or gone the wrong way up a one way street. Two young women were knocked down in Colchester a couple of years ago by an 87 year old driver who mounted the pavement and there was another incident somewhere where a driver kiiled someone on the pavement. What happens when they are in town to make them react so badly?

[Scunner]

More things to hit

[DonM]

I think reactions/panic are a lot to do with the incidents in town centres. I've heard engines screaming away when people are trying manoeuvre in confined areas, if their foot slips off the clutch the vehicle will take off like a rocket. An elderly person will have very little chance reacting to the situation quickly.

Looking at the costa coffee incident it might have been the vehicle was going too fast for the driver  to turn the steering wheel to get round the corner and they just panicked and their foot froze on the accelerator. .Just my opinion of course.

[littlereddevil]

The report I read said he might have had a heart attack

[Colwyn]

 "The Department for Transport (DfT) says there is no evidence older drivers are more likely to cause an accident, and it has no plans to restrict licensing or mandate extra training on the basis of age ...

... Research by the RAC Foundation suggests drivers aged 75 and over make up 6% of all licence holders but account for just 4.3% of all deaths and serious injuries. By contrast, drivers aged 16-20 make up just 2.5% of all drivers but 13% of those killed and seriously injured."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24204489

[kevin3]

  There ya go,  it ain't the old gits after all.    Flat caps forever and a Happy Christmas to one and all.         

[bewva]

Maybe the oldies do have as many accidents out of towns but because they just end up in a ditch or something rather than mount the kerb in a town its just not reported?

[Scunner]

Or maybe they aren't involved in as many accidents as they cause

[Colwyn]

Or perhaps they don't have many accidents? Just a thought.