To wonder how on earth they will sentence a 96 year old?!

[dreamer24]

news.sky.com/story/woman-96-admits-causing-death-of-pedestrian-after-she-panicked-and-mounted-the-kerb-13204265

A 96 year old woman killed a woman in her 70s after she lost control of her car. Due to be sentenced on Monday, apparently. It's obviously completely tragic that a woman has died, but I can't imagine a woman who is almost 100 will get a custodial sentence?

To be fair, our experience was 10 years ago so it's possible things have changed since then. The husband of the lady I knew who was killed did a lot of campaigning for the change in rules.

I agree. Stories like this boil my blood. I lost a very dear friend in a very similar situation. Friend had just made it over a crossing at a junction and a 90+ year old driver lost control of the car, gone through some metal fencing, kerbed it, and pinned friend against a wall. Friend didn't die on impact but did die in hospital a few days later.

My own nan had to renew her driving license last year and I was shocked to see she'd only have to resit her test if she wanted a license that would let her drive large vehicles like vans and so on but absolutely fine to keep driving a 7 seater and could do so as long as she was sure they would renew the license while it was being processed.

I could not believe she just didn't have to resit it unless she wanted to. I don't think my nan is a bad driver, but my friends death is not an isolated incident by any means and it just feels so backwards and behind the times to not have safety measures in place.

I don’t think there are any age based restrictions where we live.

My husbands grandma is in her 80’s, her and two friends often go on driving holidays around europe in a campervan. She is the queen of parallel parking, to the point that I’m sometimes convinced her van shortens itself to fit spaces.

People are living much longer than they used to. There are loads of areas where legislation and governance are miles behind the reality of what that means for society. Driving is just one of them.

People of that age absolutely do do time, though 90% of prisoners over 70 are sex offenders, so they're normally in for serious, often historic, stuff. It's actually an increasing issue for the prison service as they're not used to or especially adapted for dealing with large numbers of elderly prisoners. You have dementia, significant care needs etc and they're not geared up for it

You can try to blame the family but a stubborn relative isn't necessarily going to pay attention in this sort of scenario, and taking away the driving licence/keys/the car itself would technically be theft. This sort of thing needs to be dealt with by the government.

At 96 she may not even get to the sentencing day!!! Every day is a bonus.

Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going into the winter of my life and it’s obvious that humans can decline. I think it’s crazy that very elderly people who have poor reflexes, hearing and sight can drive. Retesting would at least assess basic capability. I know of one of my relatives who will never turn right out of a junction ‘because she gets nervous’. She shouldn't be driving if she’s like that yet gets defensive when she’s told. Retesting should be mandatory.

People say prisoners have it better than pensioners, maybe she’s hoping for a custodial sentence.

No one is saying a blanket ban is appropriate after a certain age. But the fact we don't even require a basic eye test and medical after say 70 is ridiculous! We have to update our photo so at that point the bare minimum should be a sight test for everyone and after 70 a quick medical to get out licence renewed. It's absolutely appalling that currently it's down to the driver to decide if they're safe on the road and even if you see a GP they cannot report you to the DVLA

As we get older, we lose more and more of our independence so I dont want a specific age ban, but mandatory retesting should be in place from a given age - probably 70yo.

Driving tests today are more difficult to pass than years ago, so anyone over 70 passing them should be good for 5 years, then a retest again.

in addition, new cars are so much more capable of assisting drivers, so the older we get, the requirement to have specific features in a car are also something that should be mandated eg lane departure, automatic pedestrian braking etc. If she was driving a tesla, for example, that accident probably would have been avoided. Even out in my sons 1 Yr old cupra the other day, the car infront did an emergency stop and his car followed suit. Technology can't be 100% relied upon, but if it keeps people driving safely for longer, I'm all for it.
And all thse unlicensed drivers need really stiff sentences, I see so many people who are incapable of steering, staying in lane and taking off smoothly it's untrue. They are a real menace to society.

Is this law in Spain? Father in law lives in Spain and categorically shouldn't be driving. He's so stubborn though. He's 80. If he's been doing this I can't imagine he'd pass...

Selling a car frees up a lot of money to pay for taxis. There are also community transport schemes in most areas. All of which FIL refused to consider until he wrote of his car when he drove straight into a roundabout with no other vehicles present because he was worried one might appear and come onto the roundabout. We'd previously reported him to DVLA but he didn't have a condition that ticked a must stop driving box so was allowed to continue. It was just hos ability to judge speed and distance etc was shot.

This

Blanket statements based on age and ability shouldn't ever be used.

Would you scrap the lower age limit then?

The most dangerous category of driver, if we go by age and sex, is surely young men.

Families can support elderly people to understand it’s time to stop though. We had to do it for my grandfather! After family intervention their gp made a referral to a driving assessment centre and they told him he had to stop.

www.drivingmobility.org.uk/assessments/driving-assessments/

much like teenagers are much less likely to commit crimes if they have family who intervene early on.

My dad took the car keys.

My FIL is 77 and still works full time in a job that he does a 20 min commute for 6 days a week (its his own business). He's fit and healthy and not at all 'old'.

Agree, so much ageism here. There's a lot of really bitter, resentful posters.

Yes surely it's ageist that my very sensible 14 year old can't drive. He's mastered karting and is very skillful... Imagine how much independence it would give him

Oh FS some posters are ridiculous. Stating the simple, proven biological fact that sight and reflexes decline with age is not ageism, nor is supporting retesting every few years after a certain point and it’s certainly not a blanket hate of old people.

A 96 year old who causes death by dangerous driving should be viewed in the exact same way as a 17 year old who causes death by dangerous driving. No one gets a pass because they are old.

Do you think under 25s should be allowed to drive then? Doesn't their poor decision-making and impulsiveness make them more dangerous drivers?

I'd argue it probably does yes. And lack of driving experience. Which is why statistically younger people have more accidents and their insurance is higher. Maybe the age for learning to drive should be higher? I wouldn't be opposed to that in the same way I wouldn't be opposed to someone whose brain function has declined due to older age being unable to drive. People need to be safe on the roads, regardless of their age.

I get that, many people are and good for them but 96 is a different matter. So is 86. I am not ageist, I'm elderly myself and have witnessed appalling driving, lack of judgement from very elderly people. They have to stop sometime. That is a fact.

Exactly a sight test every couple of years should be a minimum for everyone regardless of age.
Sight test will also pick up cognitive decline as people forget letters.
And the test they do for peripheral vision should also pick up reaction times.
If the opticians isn't happy they can refer to GP for further checks.

Fairly easy to implement it. We don't have a shortage of opticians and they are on every high street.

At the moment we have a shortage of GPs to do routine checks and a shortage of driving instructors and examiners.

With elderly drivers family possibly aren't in the car very often with them so don't see the state of their driving.
Unless your ill your not going to have your elderly parents drive you anywhere