To think a cometency driving test should be done at retirement-ish age?

[hidinginthenightgarden]

A few weeks ago I read about a crash caused by an old lady who tried to over take a tractor but couldn't go fast enough and ended up knocking a lady off her bike. Her husband then ran over his wife and killed her. It was one of many incidents I have heard of where people of a certain age cannot drive fast enough (or safe enough) to be on the roads. Yesterday I saw a man on the motorway doing 50mph in a brand new landrover. My own Grandfather gave up driving on the motorway when he felt uncomfortable driving the required speed - sensible, but others will not want to lose their "freedom" so won't make such decisions.
Shouldn't there be some sort of competency test around age 65/70 to test you are still able to see far enough, drive fast enough on a motorway and so on? Or if deemed fairer, maybe we should all have to do one every 10 years until we reach 65 and then it becomes every 5 years?

My retirement age is 68, so should I have a competency test for my job as well? What happens if I fail?

You would surely have regular supervisions with your line manager, competences would be addressed here and you would probably be out on your ear if you failed to improve?

Rather than target a certain age group, I think they should bring driving cars more in line with industry standards, regular health checks etc. It is ridiculous that you can just tick a form at 70 to say your eye sight is good enough to drive, self regulation is a joke. Regular health checks for all!

No I don’t agree that when someone is 65ish they suddenly lose it and it can give false confidence in driving abilities.

My stepfather was referred in his 80s by his GP for a driving test due to early stage dementia and passed with flying colours. A few months later he was out with my Mum one day when he suddenly lost the ability to read the road and made really stupid decisions, which could have led to a bad accident. He gave up voluntarily after that.
My Mum is driving in her eighties and is a careful and safe driver.

I think you may have a point if you move the age back by 15 or 20 years.
Both my paternal grandfather and then 40 years later my mum, were both driving dangerously for at least 3 years before they could be persuaded to stop. Mum lives in a village with no shop or amenities and losing her car involved a real loss of liberty. She is also very strong-willed. It was awful.

I think all drivers should be re-tested every 5 years, as road rules change, reactions can be slowed due to age, medication or health conditions.

Maybe at 80+ but 65 isn’t old.

I am more cautious now (not yet 50). I’m a good driver and have been for 30 years.

It’s unreasonable, rude and offensive to suggest 60+ is past it and level some incompetence in that direction.

There are arseholes on the road at every age.

And yes, the blokes in Audi’s are by far the worst.

Maybe extend that to people who buy high end cars? They seem to think they're above the rules.

Imo, everyone should take a theory test at least once every 5 years. I'd be willing to bet that most people on here haven't even looked at the highway code since passing their test.

Like AuntieStella said, insurance costs tell you all you need to know about who is having lots of expensive accidents and who isn't. Yes there are some terrible old drivers out there but there are also terrible young drivers and terrible middle aged drivers, and driving badly and slowly is a LOT safer than driving badly and fast. Picture shows inconvenient Actual Facts: age 20-29 have most serious accidents.

When I rule the world there will be no driving until you are 18 at least, compulsory retraining and testing for all every 5 years and compulsory eye tests for driving purposes for everyone every 2 years. I would also restore the insurance companies' right to cost insurance based on sex as well as age and driving history.

People of any age not moving from the middle lane on motorways is more dangerous than a sensible driver at 50 mph driving appropriately.

I often drive at just under 60 because it saves a lot of fuel.

O4FS - I am not suggesting they are past it at 60. I actually said 65/70 A’s eyesight and reactions do tend to slow at this point. My MIL is 65 and not at all “past it”. But why would you wait until someone was 80 and possibly a danger? Why not test intermittently in order to support them so they don’t become a danger.
And actually on that point I think what app said before was the best idea- test everyone, every time they re-applied for their license.

@TheSultanofPingu I agree! Would stop so many accidents. Some people drive like wankers. My boyfriend had a speed awareness course recently due to going 5mph over the limit (🤦🏻‍♀️) and he said it was actually good to have a speed refresher, they did put an emphasis on driving to fast AND to slow.

My nan drives way to slowly, I think she's close to giving up her license tbh.

I think we should all have regular driving tests. About every 10 years. But I also think car speed should be automatically fixed to keep to the speed limit when in built up areas.

My uncle just repassed his driving test in australia at 93!

My dad was a bloody terrible driver, may he rest in peace. None of his (serious) accidents was ever his fault. Yeah, right. And my MIL should have given up per license a long time ago. Her car looks like it's been driven through a meteor shower and she can't even get it off the drive without banging into something.

I think everyone should have to retest at 70, then every 5 years thereafter, and we should scrap the self-certification which means anyone can say they are fit to drive. Even if they're blind as a bat.

That’s great Bruffim. Not sure why it is ageist to suggest we test in the uk 🤷‍♀️

Morning stress, perhaps speed awareness would be a good way of enforcing ongoing training for drivers. We all pick up bad habits.

I don't think it should be limited to older people. Everyone should have to take a driving re-test every 10 years, or more frequently.

I do think older people should have a medical review when they renew their licence. As far as I know the present system is self-certification and I know a number of older people with eyesight and mobility problems who still drive. I realise younger people can have these issues too but eyesight deteriorates with age.

Believe that here in Australia, it’s an annual practical test after 70 years or so That's in NSW.

I was at a music festival last weekend (down with the youth:o ) and my early 20s DD and her boyfriend tried on my low level prescription sunnies and were amazed at the improved vision. They could see the stage properly.

I think every road accident, every drink/drug test failed should occasion a sight test.

Agree cushioncovers- why can my car reach over 120mph?
I get that in other countries the speed limit is higher but surely never that high?!

Not sure about driving tests but I do think that everyone, regardless of age, should have to provide proof of a recent eyesight test proving they’re legal to drive when they renew their licence.

And some kind of reaction / hazard perception test wouldn’t go amiss, either.

but 9/10 when I am on the motorway stuck behind someone who is going less than 60- it is an elderly driver

Odd. For me it's usually a lorry or a van with a trailer.

It’s unreasonable, rude and offensive to suggest 60+ is past it and level some incompetence in that direction.

Absolutely!

Smiling - I am not saying it should be like the actual driving test. They are quite hard! I just mean that they should be bale to demonstrate that they can drive at an appropriate speed, pull out of junctions safely, do that car reg bit you have to do and an emergency stop.

Agree with the spelling test. Or at least a proof-reading test.

I think EVERY time someone, regardless of age, renews their licence they should do a written and practical driving test. Why, you may ask. Because road rules evolve over the decades. Just look at roundabouts and the number of people who cannot drive through them correctly. If you're in a skills based profession you have to do continual education to stay current with rules. The same should go for driving.

This ⬆️

I couldn't agree more. I'm 55 and have been driving since I was 18, and the number of bad drivers ( of all ages) is scary. I would welcome regular retesting to keep standards up and, as a pp said, regular testing and peer reviewing is standard in most industries, so why not driving?

I think it's a conspiracy to sell new cars. Manufacturers don't want less drivers on the road.

@hidinginthenightgarden

OZp
Are you going to respond to my question on foreign drivers?