To think old drivers are more dangerous than young ones?

[PistolAnnies]

An old dear almost crashed right into me before, clearly didn't see, even when I had to swiftly swerve to get out of her way, and she was squinting her eyes trying to see

I see this more with old drivers and think they should have to surrender their license, if at a certain age, their eyesight and health are not in the best condition

[Nanny0gg]

The plural of anecdote is not data.

[Nanny0gg]

Seriously - define 'old'.

60s? 70s? 80s?

Who?

[ComposHat]

I think as drivrrs get over a certain age the insurance premiums start to rise to reflect the risk they pose.

I would like to see for new drivers: something along the lines of highher penalty points for speeding,, restricted driving hours, ongoing trsoning and mandatory p plates for the first two years after passing their test.


For older drivers: annual physical/mental capacity check post 70 at their GP, plus a short driving fitness test every 5 years with a registered examiner (emergency stop, slow speed control etc.)

[MrsOakenshield]

anyone wearing purple?

[NewtRipley]

old twat

old dear


tripecity

Some silly bitch did that to me the other week. Women, eh?

If you get infuriated and can't contain it, then maybe you need to think about whether you are safe on the road?

[MrsOakenshield]

I think FIL would pass your test, Compos so he'd still be on the streets. He just drives along, pointing things out so veering around, unexpectedly slowing down, that kind of thing. In a test he'd be fine because he's not showing where so-and-so who taught DH in infant school is now living or whatever.

[NCISaddict]

Totally anecdotal but the RTC's I have attended that have resulted in fairly serious injuries have, without exception, been the result of younger drivers actions whilst the minor injury ones have been older drivers, possibly because the younger drivers tend to drive faster and be less cautious?
Obviously this does not prove anything and sweeping generalisations are not appropriate.
So yes, UABU

[etoo]

I would like to see for new drivers: ... restricted driving hours,...

What hours though? Might make it awkward for them to get to their zero-hour contract jobs at random hours of the day/night.

In an ideal world it would be good if rush hour driving was restricted to people with jobs or had some other legitimate reason for driving at those times, would help a lot with congestion. Totally unworkable in reality but I can dream...

[bodygoingsouth]

lucille so 'they' both speed dangerously past schools and also plod along slowly.

ooookkkaaayyy.

what a ridiculous term .'old dear' is! what do you mean op? are all older women dears? what do you mean?

[CPtart]

My 86 year old grandmother is still driving. In the past few months she has pranged two stationary cars on separate occasions and wasn't even aware she had done so until the police came knocking!

[ComposHat]

Those were just ideas off the top of my head. But I thinkIit is absurd that you ger your licence at 17/18 and then are left to your own devices.

At the other end of the age spectrum, possesion of a piece of paper that says you were able to drive 50 yearsago Iis taken as all the proof needed that you are still capable of handling a piece of lethal machinery.
I think rather more thought is needed on how people begin and end their driving lives.

[SlowlorisIncognito]

I do agree with this to an extent. Don't forget new drivers are limited to getting 6 points on their licence before they lose it for the first two years after they pass, so there are some restrictions on them already. They're also massively financially penalised by their insurance if they have an accident.

However, I think lots of people of all ages drive dangerously. Part of this is that the roads have changed a lot since many people learnt to drive, and they have not kept up to date with changing traffic laws. There is part of me that thinks that anyone who hasn't taken a theory test should do so, as I know several people in their 50s/60s who admit they probably don't know enough to pass one. Surely if this knowledge is required of young people to drive on the road, then older people should know it too? This would make people more aware of things like stopping distances.

I also think traffic laws in general should be policed better.

I agree that older drivers are dangerous for different reasons. I think they can behave unpredictably due to their age or lack of knowledge, which is dangerous, and if they can't see properly this is a major issue. I also know two older people who have been told by the police they shouldn't be driving any more who continue to drive. I think the police should have more powers to seize people's licences.

[Sallystyle]

Composhat I just passed my test three months ago. I am 32 years old. I wouldn't be able to do my job if we had restricted hours or pick my kids up at night.

Also, if you get 6 points in two years you lose your license and have to re-sit your test. I think that is harsh enough.

I used to think these ideas were good and started a thread about it once myself but thinking it through it is really a crap idea.

I think it would be pretty shitty for me to lose my job because I of some driving time restrictions. I am as safe as driver as everyone else, probably safer than a lot of people .

[Mouthfulofquiz]

I find that the most dangerous drivers tend to be elderly but I think it's because of where I most commonly drive - I work near a large hospital so you just learn to make allowances and accept that these drivers might be upset, stressed, lost etc etc. I have learnt to anticipate the risks a bit more. I used to get very frustrated with people but on undertaking some reflection I realised it was pointless and a bit wrong really.
When I lived rurally, I found that those who most often overtook at dangerous places were young...
I was probably a bad driver when I first had my son as I was tired, full of hormones, anxious if he was crying etc.
No-one is perfect :-)

[Motherinlawsdung]

Well if we're doing ridiculous generalisations I would like to point out that the person who recently smashed into my car was a seventeen-year-old.

[NewtRipley]

Lucille

There is more than one unpredictable older driver

[Sallystyle]

The person who drove into me was in his early 20's.

Bloody man didn't look before pulling out of a junction and pulled right out on me. He was going right so he ended up with more damage but 5 weeks later and I still don't have my car back

[Oblomov]

I do think that there should be a re-test/ check up at a certain age , say 70.

[AuntieStella]

It's already the law that people with disqualifying health conditions or eyesight must surrender their licence. And that's not necessarily age related, and is binding on everyone young or old.

The nearest thing to evidence about age groups and safety comes from the insurance industry, whose profitability depends on correct assessment of accident data.

The highest premiums are for young drivers, not old ones.

[drudgetrudy]

YABU, Fuck off. From an "old dear" (silly girl)

[LucilleBluth]

Not grasping the concept of there being more than one driver in my anecdote and being totally condescending about it is worse than my grammar mistake.

[specialsubject]

the silly bitch who nearly wrote me off the other day while looking at her damn i-phone and driving at the same time was certainly not an OAP.

hope she hits a tree soon.

[CiderBomb]

I'm with you OP. It seems to be a bit of a taboo but I really think that once drivers reach 70 they should have to either retake their test or hand over their licence.

A few years ago I was walking a long a busy road near where I live, a fire engine with lights and sirens blazing comes hurtling along the road obviously en route to an emergency. All other vehicles pull over to let it pass, except for a small car being driven very slowly by a very elderly looking woman who seems to be oblivious of the fire engine right up her arse with its lights and sirens on. There was no where for it to go, it then sounded its horns at her in top of the sirens, she still doesn't pull over

Eventually the cars coming in the opposite direction pull over and it has to overtake her, but little old lady is that there like she had all the time in the world. Meanwhile somewhere some poor sod is stuck in a burning building or trapped in a smashed up car....!

OAP drivers are a dangerous PIA!