Age has nothing to do with having an accident. Anyone can be involved in one at any time. It's one of the hazards of being a driver and being out on the road.

To say "Old people need their driver's license taken away." is no different then saying, "People under 25 should not be allowed to drive." due to their in-experience.

 

I believe there needs to be some accountability somewhere, but not sure where. I had an Aunt with Alzheimers, and still drove until she got lost 1 too many times. I have an Uncle 95 that just got married. And he still drives. But he's wobbly when he walks, and slow to react. Yet he drives around Saginaw area. Dad is 93 and still drives, but he don't see so good at night.
Point is, SOME of the elderly NEED to have a little more scrutiny done, but then again, others of ALL ages are problems, also. No easy solution, without family stepping in, which is what SHOULD happen.
This is a good thread. Make sure we keep insults out of this and it'll stick around. And at 56, I could fall into the "senior" classification. It's the cell phones and texting that irritate me more than the "seniors". Most seniors are maybe a little slow, but usually they are being over cautious, rather than being negligant of what's going on around them.

 

........I agree.........
Having been through this twice now. My Dad is gone now but my Mom is in a Nursing Home. Taking the keys away was very tough
and it hurt my Parents both but they somehow understood. Just
don't try to take my Mom's purse away right now !
It's just a tough tough and very tough issue.

 

I think in IL once you reach a certain age, you need to take the road test more often. I should probably ask my Dad that question - he's in his mid 70's. Everyone has to take responsibility for there actions. I cringe every time I see someone talking on their cell phone. And I see it a lot driving to and from work. It's not a law in the burbs yet, but I think it should be!

 

in IL they made it illegal to talk on a cell phone in a school zone. i dont know if thats the same anywhere else.
ha get this my mom used to text on the highwayy!! LOLWTF, texting at 75 mph.

 

Texting is WAY worse than cell phones, cuz you have to look at it. Talk about a distraction! We had a teen about an hour north of us killed about a month ago whe HE ran a stop sigh texting.

 

One of the Senior Citizens that helped raise the Bum's & I sent me the below *Note they visit our forum & read our posts, and know most of our active member's It's funny when I see them they ask about Lou, Mike, Michaal, and today ask me if Mod `Matt got his new home yet...They constantly amaze me and I've learned from the wisdom they've gained during their long journey of `life.
Hope U enjoy the below

You know you’re getting old…
…when you feel like it’s the morning after, and you didn’t go anywhere the night
before.
…when you look forward to a dull evening.
…when a little old lady helps you across the street, and it’s your wife.
…when you get winded playing chess.
…when you sink your teeth into a thick steak, and they stay there.
…when everything that doesn’t hurt doesn’t work.
…when the gleam in your eyes is the sun hitting your bifocals.
…when your children are older than you re-member your parents being when you
were young.
…when your mind makes contracts that your body can’t keep.
…when you finally know all the answers, and no-body’s asking you any questions.
…when the favorite part of the newspaper is the section under the heading “25 years
ago today.”
…when you sit down in a rocking chair and can’t get it going.
…when your knees buckle but your belt won’t.
…when your back goes out more often than you do.
…when you get excited and your pacemaker makes the garage door go up.
…when your house is too big, and the medicine cabinet is too small.
…when you wake up and realize that the best part of the day is over.
…when you figure that if God wanted you to touch your toes, He would have put
them on your knees.
…when your spouse says, “Let’s go upstairs and make love,” and you say, “Honey,
we can’t do both.”
…when your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes, and you’re not
wearing shoes.

A group of senior citizens were talking at the breakfast table in a Palm Springs nursing home.

"My arms are so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee," said one.

"Yes, I know. My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee," replied another.

"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a third, to which several nodded weakly in agreement.

"My blood pressure pills makes me dizzy," another went on.

"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old," winced an old man as he slowly shook his head.

Then there was a short moment of silence.

"Well, it's not that bad," said one woman cheerfully. "Thank God we can all still drive." LOL

 

Yeah Wayne my GF and her brothers & sisters are going through this with their mom right now. They are trying to convince with all of her recent close calls and with 7 kids and ? grandkids that she REALLY doesn't need to be driving anymore. The ironic thing was 15-25 years back she was trying to get the keys away from her father and swore that she wouldn't put her kids through that, she would know when it was time to stop driving. Guess a lot of things are easier said then done.

I too agree that it's too broad to say senior citizens in general, just like how the insurance company feels that male teen drivers are a high risk, I was good untill I hit my 20's then I was hell on wheels! Think they sould have road test every x years (perhaps start at 5 then go to 10 then back to 5 depending on age) regardless of age I've seen drivers of all ages that scare the _____ out of me.