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

[Melas]

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.

Some elderly drivers are more than capable, others are not. YANBU.

My grandad gave up driving at 88, that was at least 5 years too late. He once drove the wrong way around a roundabout! That was when he stopped.

I personally think all drivers should resit their test every ten years up to the age of 65, then every five years after that. I don't/can't drive so I suppose that's easy for me to suggest, but to me, with driving comes great responsibility. Unsafe driving habits kill people. what is so wrong with making sure you are competent enough every few years.

I agree YANBU. I watched an old lady get out of her car recently who was so frail she could hardly open the door, then proceeded to hobble off on a walking stick. No way she would have the reactions to stop quickly if necessary. Also when elderly drivers drive unreasonably slowly, most probably assuming it’s safer to do so, but actually forcing other drivers to overtake. I saw one car the other day driving at 30mph on a main road and there was a notice in the rear window saying PLEASE PASS! I understand the need for independence but not when it’s a danger to others.

My grandad was an excellent driver right up till he died in his late 80s he drove to France 3 times a year and was never what you would call a typical oap driver that being said he was definitely the exception I am so shocked by what I see on a regular basis. I completely understand that they don’t want to lose their independence of being able to drive but unfortunately a life is more important. It’s some gong that will happen to us all one day

YANBU - sight, reaction time and confusion are all symptoms that don’t present obviously and do come with old age (at what age varies between individuals) regardless of dementia diagnosis. Have personal reasons for feeling quite strongly about this.

I also think (controversially apparently) that everyone should be periodically retested. People take driving a big hunk of metal so lightly but there are deaths and life changing injuries on a daily basis because some people aren’t fit to drive whether that’s physically, mentally or because they’re intoxicated. It all boils down to being incredibly selfish in most cases as their actions put the wider population at risk.

*mentally meaning people who are perfectly capable but take risks/drive too fast/don’t take it seriously

More times than I care to think about I have had to yank my child out of the way of a car just randomly reversing at speed onto the pavement and turning the other way, despite me pushing a bright lime green pushchair and wearing a bright blue coat, we are invisible to them. I have spoken to the police to as honesty the amount of times we've nearly been hit by these same elderly people, is terrifying. They are still out driving so it obviously did nothing.

I do feel sorry for them though, they obviously have no awareness of their surroundings otherwise they would see us clearly.

My Nan stopped driving at 75 as she said she didn't feel she was up to it anymore.

It must be scary to lose that independence but at the safety of others, it's just dangerous for some of them to drive!

My dad was an excellent driver for 40 years - until he developed dementia when he was a menace. Trouble was dementia doesn't exactly improve your critical thinking skills so, in his mind, he was still perfectly safe. My mum and I petitioned the DVLA to get his license removed. It was really difficult and took months and months - doctor was reluctant to act because- when asked - he said he felt fine to drive. When he was finally asked to hand in his license he refused - we had to flatten the battery in the car then get the community police involved. It was a miserable process for all of us.

I completely agree rumbelina - Everyone should be retested, maybe every 5 years? I live in an increasingly industrialised area and the number of times I’ve almost been taken out in my neon car in broad daylight by lorry drivers is disgusting. I’ve got a dash cam because they are so careless.
There does need to be more joined up thinking with the NHS and the DVLA though. I knew a girl when I was at school who had (has?) a heart condition which randomly causes he blood pressure to drop and her to faint. Of course she passed her test first time so used to proclaim she was the safest driver of all time - she should never have been allowed in the first place!

Agree that some elderly shouldn;t be driving but as a pp said there are often no alternative ways to get out and about.

Younger drivers have more accidents but the stats are skewed for reasons previously mentioned, ( speed, miles driven, type of accident that gets reported etc).

So we need: regular retesting of everyone, proper enforcement, decent alternative transport options.

It's not just very elderly drivers with ongoing deteriorating health that are a problem. Many who have driven for a very long time are just not prepared to stop driving, even temporarily, if they need to.

My dad is generally in very good health, but had suffered appalling back problems and sciatica for several weeks now. He can barely walk and there's no way in hell he could do an emergency stop if needed. Yet I was stunned to find out he's still been driving around for weeks! He defended it by saying how else would he get anywhere, and what's the point of anything if he's stranded in the house (the pain has left him pretty depressed). The thought of getting a bus, taxi or asking any of us for a lift never entered his head. In his mind it was drive or be trapped in the house, as he's always driven and never used public transport etc.

He won't be doing it again as I threatened to report him as an unsafe driver if he did. After he calmed down he did agree I was right and that it wasn't worth killing himself or someone else.

I wa grocery shopping recently and was about to enter the store when I heard a loud noise. I turned round and saw that a car had driven into the bakery / cafe next door. Luckily, no one was injured. The driver who was about 80 years old had mistaken brake pedal and accelerator. I have attached a photo that was in the local news.
As an avid cyclist I can say that elderly car drivers are the worst.

My dad lives in an area with very good, accessible public transport, btw. The bus stop is outside his house!

Bad driving is concerning at any age. Perhaps everyone should be retested every 10 years?

I think all drivers should have to take and pass a test every 5 years. One designed for the purpose, a refresher rather than all the bells and whistles of the Driving Test.

This is in the news today:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/06/man-73-crashes-porsche-911-wall/

Saucy yes that’s where I live!

Yes but I think this is a bit of a cop out personally. As you age your reflexes will slow, you will experience loss of night vision, your eyesight will deteriorate and you will lose hearing. Therefore your driving skills will deteriorate and judging at what point you become unsafe shouldn't be a decision left to the individual.

They DO retest at 75

My Mum is 73 and a fantastic, competent driver! She's been driving 55 years and is more on the ball than me! She works in Online Banking tech support, has always loved cars and could tell someone how to repair any part of an engine over the flipping phone!

(Touching wood) In my 34 years on this earth she has never had so much as a bump. Nothing. Has 15 years no claims. So I massively resent the implication that all over 60s are a danger!!! @enpointeredshoes

I was literally talking to my dad about this on Tuesday. He’s 85 and I was tactfully probing about his eye sight.

So he said he has a field of vision test every year and if he fails that he should inform DVLA. But crucially it’s a self referral so it’s up to that driver to tell them not the person doing the eye test.

I asked him though if he failed and didn’t inform DVLA his insurance would be invalid snd he said the insurance firm just asked have you had the test crucially not did you pass the test.

That sounds ridiculous to me.

Saw an elderly lady do a 3 point turn in the local pub car park and she hit 2 cars doing it and just drove off. Don’t think she even knew.

This is always on my mind, as my mother is in her mid 80s and still drives and I worry endlessly about her on the roads. She lives in a very rural location, where it is well over a mile to the nearest bus stop and the buses only run once an hour.

She has a number of health conditions, all of which have been declared to the DVLA, but apparently they are all fine to continue driving with.

She only drives at 20mph, which does give me some comfort but makes her a nightmare for other people locally, who get stuck behind her on the country roads. We all desperately want her to move to somewhere less rural where she could have access to better public transport, but she loves the house and feels that my Dad is still with her somehow there.

I really hope I plan better for my old age and am not such a constant worry to my children.

It is hard because obviously giving up driving is a massive thing and for my dad it would imprison him and my mum who has dementia. I think if he couldn’t drive and get out and about it would actually see them both deteriorate massively.

But still

Margo

We have exactly that same problem. Total intransigence and will not cooperate in even planning what will happen when he can’t drive. You want them to plan now rather then be forced to move in difficult circumstances

Actually my dad is 53 and is a fucking awful driver. I imagine he would fail if he was retested. But he is showing very clear signs of early Alzheimer's so its all a bit shit.