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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be genuinely concerned about some of the older drivers on the road

305 replies

Melas · 05/04/2018 21:51

I work at a hospital. Went to lunch today and was approached by a very confused elderly man who couldn’t find the clinic he needed for his wife. He was stooped over, had a tremor and was really frail. I pointed the clinic out three times and he was still confused so I walked him to the doors (he was shuffling) and then went to find a porter to help with his wife.

I came back from lunch and he was driving out of the car park with his wife. Car creeping along at 2mphs, he bumped over the pavement and on to the main road still at around 5-10mph as he went around the corner.

He could barely walk, how is he still driving safely? I do not condone drink driving at ALL but I could have a large glass of wine and be over the limit and I swear I would still be more responsive than he was.

We had an awful incident here a few years ago when an elderly man killed a 16 year old girl on her way to college. He’d had an accident a few days beforehand driving down the wrong side of the road but the police were unable to confiscate his licence (I think this may have changed by now).

Shouldn’t we be retesting at certain age by now? Even if it was 80 that would be something. I can’t stop thinking about this man driving around the roads still.

OP posts:
cantkeepawayforever · 06/04/2018 18:23

When I looked into it for DFiL, it seemed surprisingly difficult to report someone who shouldn't be driving for medical reasons.

I felt it should be a very easy to access online form to report someone, with the DVLA then being able to contact GP, optician and patient before coming to a verdict, and was surprised that it wasn't so.

I may have missed something, however, and it may now be improved.

cantkeepawayforever · 06/04/2018 18:26

As in, it seems very easy for a person to report THEMSELVES, but very difficult for a concerned carer / relative / friend to do so?

specialsubject · 06/04/2018 18:31

Voluntary retesting for all with insurance discount if passed is a great idea.

The younger bad drivers are less of a long term issue as they have a higher chance of coming off fatally in a ' single vehicle accident' ( I.e. darwin award). The kind of stuff listed on here is a menace but the culprit usually survives to do it again.

BarbarianMum · 06/04/2018 19:25

Filling in an online report about someone who (you believe) shouldn't be driving is now very straightforward - DVLA website.

Getting someone to listen and act is very hard and incredibly slow.

MolliewithOllie · 06/04/2018 19:31

But barbarian do you not see that online reporting could be done maliciously. Of course it should not be easy on one person's sayso annd must be investigated.
Families need to take active steps if they genuinely believe the driver is a menace (they would surely know) to the extent of being a danger to other road users

BarbarianMum · 06/04/2018 19:38

Of course it should be investigated but there is no need for it to take months. Those months are not being spent investigating - it took 4 months for the DVLA to write to my dad's GP. A standard 1 paragraph letter. Then 3 months to chase up when the GP didnt reply. Then notjing when my dad refused to surrender his license (we had to involve the police).

Would you like to suggest some way families can intervene that aren't a) illegal and b) unkind? We offered lifts and taxis but he didn't want to know. In the end we had to keep flattening the battery which is illegal and made us feel like shit (no prizes for pulling the wool over the eyes of someone whose memory is failing). Sad

cantkeepawayforever · 06/04/2018 21:16

Barbarian,

Please could you link to the form? I couldn't find it from the DVLA front page menu?

BarbarianMum · 06/04/2018 21:39

medical

BarbarianMum · 06/04/2018 21:40

No that's not worked will try again Blush

BarbarianMum · 06/04/2018 21:45

Ok no can't link. But if you type "report elderly driver" into your web browser and follow the first dvla link it should take you there.

cantkeepawayforever · 06/04/2018 21:58

That's really interesting... because although it is nominally under the 'Driving Licenses' section of the DVLA website, there is no menu item for it from the main menu page:
Menu page

And I also had to change the search I used twice before it even came up in Google.

It's not exactly EASY to find...

cantkeepawayforever · 06/04/2018 21:59

Nor does it come up if you search 'report elderly driver' WITHIN the DVLA site.

RedForFilth · 06/04/2018 22:13

It probably won't become policy to retest because then something would have to be done about public transport so the elderly could get around. Or doctors would need to do home visits routinely and delivery services for food and such would need to be accessible to the elderly who may not have internet.

Davros · 07/04/2018 14:04

I think the Taxicard scheme could be rolled out nationally although you'd still need to qualify for a blue badge but most of the elderly people mentioned here probably would. As people live longer there could be a campaign to get people to seriously consider downsizing and living less remotely, it becomes a selfish option once they've left it too late

samarkand · 07/04/2018 19:15

It probably won't become policy to retest because then something would have to be done about public transport so the elderly could get around. Or doctors would need to do home visits routinely and delivery services for food and such would need to be accessible to the elderly who may not have internet.

^This. There is one bus a week from my village that goes any where near the doctors and then you have to wait three hours for the return bus. Although it is only 4 miles away, a taxi costs £7. There is one tiny post office/shop in the village and no other facilities - I presume that why so many elderly residents hang on to their licenses.

DMCWelshCakes · 07/04/2018 21:31

Someone thread said that younger drivers are more likely to be drunk or on drugs, but I'm not necessarily sure that I agree with this.

My parents are in their 70s and in their generation there doesn't seem to be the same level of abstaining from alcohol if they're going to drive as there is in mine (40s).

And as for drugs, I'd maintain that the even more elderly are the MOST likely to be on drugs. Just because they're legally prescribed, doesn't mean that they don't affect people's reactions & awareness. My grandmother ended up in hospital because she was basically stoned. She was on so many different sorts of meds for so many different things that she was out of her box. Thankfully she's not driven since the 1970s so we never had to have the conversation with her about giving up.

I write this as someone who's had to give up driving temporarily for medical reasons twice - once in my 20s and once in my 30s. Age wasn't a factor - reactions and cognitive impairment due to medication were.

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/04/2018 21:43

Maybe one could have a combination of a refresher driving course once every 10 years, and a better medical which would pick up vision and reaction time problems.

Although on the question or reaction times - I read a study which said in practice people often compensate for reaction time increase by increasing the distance they drive from the car in front, for example. Whereas people whose reaction time is impaired by alcohol general think they're perfectly capable of driving and don't compensate at all.

ForalltheSaints · 07/04/2018 22:08

I think re-testing and certainly medicals should come in for every driver at a lot lower age than pensionable age.

I think it won't become policy because of the fear of the motoring lobby, as I mentioned on another thread.

ohfortuna · 08/04/2018 01:07

As people live longer there could be a campaign to get people to seriously consider downsizing and living less remotely
Agree, we need to design incentives to encourage people to find housing that will suit their needs as they age

Skatingfastonthinice · 08/04/2018 07:52

Then we also need to make the whole process of house buying/selling easier. My parents were going to downsize in their 80s, but the messing around, the extra demands from buyers and the stress made them change their minds almost at exchange point.

Elendon · 08/04/2018 09:12

Sorry, but I couldn't help but laugh at this report

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-43662862

Man, 73, smashes Porsche 911 through a wall. (No one was hurt)

Budsbeginingspringinsite · 08/04/2018 09:15

Came round blind corner to elderly lady coming at me on wrong side of road.
It was heatwave I think she washed confused and in a trance. Luckily neither going fast and just got out way. She sort of camera too.

ForgetMeNotCat · 08/04/2018 09:25

Elendon. The comments Grin

Tara336 · 08/04/2018 09:32

Something needs to be done as currently all my dad has to do is renew his licence every 5 years or something but he is absolutely dangerous imo. He has poor eyesight and myself and my daughter have said you need to wear glasses when driving but he refuses (refuses to wear a hearing aid yet is pretty deaf too). I have been in the car with him recently and I was bloody terrified! Yet I have MS and have to renew my license every 3 years! I have no issue with that and understand why, but when I’m checked every 3 years and told I’m ok to carry on why can we not do this for older drivers who are very obviously in same situation as me where your health and ability to drive could be deteriorating?

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