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Drivers to have 10-year health checks under driver licence reforms

9 replies

Upwind · 30/12/2008 12:01

"For the first time, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will issue a series of minimum physical and mental requirements motorists must fulfil including eyesight performance and reaction times. Tests, costing up to £80, will be offered to drivers to check whether they are fit to drive.

Anyone who chooses not to take the tests but declares themselves able to take to the roads will be committing a criminal offence if they fail to meet the established standards. The move is designed to weed out tens of thousands of motorists ? many of them elderly ? who use their cars while suffering from conditions which could make them a danger to themselves or others."

from here

I can see this one causing a lot of grief in years to come! I don't think that people I know who are deteriorating physically or mentally would be willing to accept that they are no longer fit to drive with the limitations on freedom that would bring.

I hope it is not enforced against those elderly people who only drive slowly to the local village shop, but that it is used against anyone who causes an accident or is found to be driving dangerously to ensure they are kept off the roads afterwards. Also that friends and family could report dangerous drivers - I have a family member with signs of dementia whose driving is increasingly erratic.

OP posts:
Meglet · 30/12/2008 14:48

my friends mum used to drive despite being very dangerous and having MS. My friend was beside herself with worry.

agree they need to be sensible with these plans and not stop all eldery people driving, its a lifeline for them.

pantomimEDAMe · 30/12/2008 14:53

Most accidents happen on local roads within a very short distance from the drivers' homes - so I wouldn't assume elderly people who drive slowly to the shop are no trouble. (Driving too slowly can cause accidents, btw.)

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 30/12/2008 14:55

surely we should be trying to prevent the accidents in the first place rather than wait until someone has caused one to check their ablility???

Upwind · 30/12/2008 15:30

FAQ - I think there has to be some kind of tradeoff. If you enforce this too rigidly you really curtail the freedom of elderly and disabled people and seriously reduce their quality of life. Obviously you want to prevent accidents as well!

Edam - "Most accidents happen on local roads within a very short distance from the drivers' homes" Are these serious accidents though? Or does it include sideswipes, parking bumps etc? The telegraph piece says that "The Association of British Insurers has found that this age group is three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than those aged 40-65." Does that mean they are also much more likely to kill and cause serious injury?

OP posts:
goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 30/12/2008 15:34

Of course we don't want to curtail an eldery person freedom to get around, but if they're not fit to drive should they be on the road - even if it is only for a short trip. It could be my DS, or your DC that runs across the road without checking properly and that eldery person who isn't really fit to drive that isn't able to react quick enough and hits them.

If someone's condition, regardless of age, suffer from a condition which could affect their driving, as harsh as it is I think they should be stopped from driving.

Many conditions which some elderly drivers have they wouldn't have been able to get a driving license had they had those conditions before wanting to learn to drive.

Upwind · 30/12/2008 15:37

Point taken FAQ

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 30/12/2008 15:38

i agree with FAQ.
i am sorry, but their freedom and quality of life does not come above that of the people they are putting at risk.

if you are elderly and yet well off enough to run a car, drive a car etc then you can bloody well take a bus instead.

i can remember a while back an elderly gent running over a child and her grandmother on a pedestrian crossing. the child was killed.

i am sorry, but that child deserved to die just because an old half-blind bloke needed his freedom????

i don't think so. i think that this is an excellent idea and has been too long coming. if you are fit to drive then it'll all be ok. if you aren't then you have to accept that and find other ways of travelling. there are plenty of people out there of all ages who have no choice but to use public transport, and who do it every day. the elderly shoul.d be no differnt

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 30/12/2008 15:39

I must apologise for my 2nd paragraph - got distracted by DS's and lost my train of thought

thisisyesterday · 30/12/2008 15:39

btw Upwind you CAN report dangerous drivers.
i know someone who did when her 96 yr old grandmother started driving reather erratically

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