Should there be an upper age limit on driver's licenses?

Sooga · #1 10-14-2007, 04:10 PM

After just getting back home after almost getting sideswiped and t-boned by two different octogenarians, I'm questioning how old people are even allowed on the road.

Should there be some sort of an upper age limit to driver's licenses? Or at the very least, more restrictions (i.e. tested every year)? I would probably set an upper limit at 65, just to be safe. These 80-year old geezers on the road are flat-out liabilities.

Now yea, sure, I'm sure your 85-year old grandpa can drive just fine or whatever. But I'm just as sure there are some pretty mature/coordinated 12 year olds out there too, and they don't get to drive. I don't really support hard age-limits, but I think 16 is a pretty decent lower limit on licenses. The lower limit is presumably 16 because early teens don't have the physical/mental coordination to handle driving, especially in high-stress situations. But I don't think 80-year olds can handle it either, for the same reasons.

I dunno, maybe I'm just ranting because I'm pissed off, but I really would like to see some changes.

miajag · #2 10-14-2007, 04:12 PM

Yes. But old people can and do vote, so this will never happen.

jogsxyz · #3 10-14-2007, 04:17 PM

There are some counties which has older drivers retake the driver's test whenever the license is renewed.

jafeather · #4 10-14-2007, 04:20 PM

Maybe not an actual age limit...but yes to being often tested.

RR · #5 10-14-2007, 04:45 PM

In AZ your license is good until your 65th birthday and then after that I think you must go in every 5 years to get one.

eviljeff · #6 10-14-2007, 05:51 PM

I don't think there should be any age limits, but much stricter competency restrictions

Scary_Tiger · #7 10-14-2007, 05:56 PM

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I don't think there should be any age limits, but much stricter competency restrictions

[/ QUOTE ]

IggyWH · #8 10-14-2007, 05:56 PM

My grandfather when he was alive had multiple strokes and his license was held while he was in the hospital. After he got out, he went through like 6 months rehab but could still barely walk and had such horrible reaction time.

He got his license reissued to him in the mail. My aunts ended up selling his car and cutting up his license so he couldn't drive. He was very pissed but there was no way in hell he should have ever got the license back in the first place.

jogsxyz · #9 10-14-2007, 07:25 PM

If you're over 65 and can't pass the driver's test but can pass the written you should be allowed to drive in vehicles like the ones meter maids use. Only allowed to drive 35 m/hr. Not allowed on any roads with speed limit over 35.

curtis012 · #10 10-14-2007, 07:51 PM

[ QUOTE ]
There are some counties which has older drivers retake the driver's test whenever the license is renewed.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the case in Canada