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luv2fish2extremes
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everyone is different. I know a person who is 90 and still drives. Unfotunately they won't pull a license until something bad happens. |
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briarwood
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I agree with the statement that says we should all retake it regularly (in a perfect world scenario). Everyone should do a retake every 10 years. We all pick up terrible habits in the years we drive. My father in law has an Advanced Driver Certificate (from his early thirties) he is an absolutely awful driver now, takes dreadful risks and pays no attention to other road users. Whenever he is criticised he just harks back to the fact that he is an 'advanced driver'. I doubt very much he would pass now. |
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nj2pa2nc
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since that would be singling out a certain age group, lawyers would have a hay day with lawsuits. My idea would be having to take a driving test every 3-5years for everyone. There are bad drivers in all age groups-young and old |
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Poppet
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I think you should be made to retake your driving test every 5-10years or something like that, however old you are. rules change so often that I think it would make the roads safer to re-educate everyone once in a while. |
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CLIVE H
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No. However, there is definitly a case to be made for carrying out a proper and thorough medical examination of drivers who reach the age of 70.
I am now 65 and have been driving since 1960. I am an experienced driver but no better than anyone else. Bad driving habits die hard, as they say.
When I reach my 70th birthday, all I will be required to do is sign a form which says I am okay.
Actually I am okay but saying so is simply not good enough. What about those old fogies who, poor darlings, are going slightly dotty as they grow older and forget things, as can happen. Like for instance, what am I doing at the top of the stairs and why did I come up here? Nuts or not, this often goes with getting old.
Imagine if this happens in a person's own home then transfer the same 'mistake' to a busy driving situation and 'wham' we're talking serious death on the road possibilities.
Of course the argument about re-testing already experienced drivers will not wash, because drivers such as myself will simply skive out of it. There is nothing worse for any country than to drive honest citizens 'under ground'. This will happen. It will just add to an already bad situation with drivers who are uninsured or who have not even taken a test.
They're out there, beware. If one of them crashes into you, you cannot claim a penny, they don't have insurance and they don't care.
So let's just stop talking about us older and more experienced drivers, we're really not the problem.
If a driver does not know what's waiting around that hairpin bend, then he/she should not be behind the wheel.
What is waiting around that hairpin bend? A jack-knifed truck, a herd of sheep, a group of school children. Your worst case nightmare. BEWARE!! |
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Just William
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I think all drivers over the age of 65 should take a retest. However, I also think all drivers should be retested each year for the first three years of taking their test as they are the most dangerous group on the road, Especially under twenty ones. |
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Doethineb
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You must be very young, Fran, to think that reactions slow down at the age of 50! I think that the current age of 70, which is the age at which one has to undergo a medical test, is probably more realistic, but individuals vary enormously and I have known people who were well in excess of that age who were capable of driving enormous distances while on holiday without a problem and people considerably younger who were complete disasters behind the wheel. Older people tend to worry about things more than youngsters do, which is one of the reasons why it is harder to take the driving test in the first place as you get older, and I think that it would be a really worrying undertaking for an older person, not because he was incompetent behind the wheel, but because he was under stress. And what would happen while people were queueing up to take these tests, given the huge backlog which exists as it is for driving tests? Would you suspend them from driving and ruin their lives? I had an uncle who lived to be ninety and who was able to drive his invalid wife about, without which they would really have been stuck in their out-of-the way home. He was calm and competent behind the wheel and had never had a driving conviction in his life. True, his reactions were slower than they had been a couple of decades before -- but he was safer behind the wheel than many youngsters with an urge to show off. |
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minus
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Every ten years and when a doctor feels you are not capable he should nitify the agency and the test be given.
It is not neccessary the age but the physical and mental condition. Many young are not mentaly safe drivers.
Any conviction of drug use should be automatic loss of license and only can be renewed when no drugs show in the blood.
Road death world wide is the number one killer of the young. More than any other one thing. more than AIDS. Well over a million each year and rising. The nation where I live the average is about 50 per day. For a nation of about 60 million that is a lot. |
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bungee
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why not have anyone who has been found at fault in an accident retake their test, this way you are only retesting careless drivers. Don't assume just because someone is young they are good drivers, likewise everyone older is not a bad driver. |
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Jude
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i think the driving age should be increased to 21- am so sick of new drivers who have barely scraped a pass on the test causing accidents or stupid boy racers who think they can drive 100 mph on a residential street!!!
I think good driving comes with age and being a responsible person (which also comes with age) and therefore if you pass the medical then there's no need to re-sit however, there should be updates to keep people in touch with the latest happenings i.e new drivers now have to know technical things- my mother doesnt even know how to check her oil and water!! |
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Lovely Lady
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I think everyone should have to re-sit every 15 year or so regardless of age.
Also, eyesight starts to deteriorate after the age of 45 and there are 1000's of people who have NEVER had their eyes tested so this should be compulsory.
My Father in law can barley see but refused to get his eyes tested for some reason and buys these stupid magnifier 'reading' glasses from Boots. And he still drives. |
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Bob the Boat
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Hi Fran,
I see your point, but.
I am now 51, and am racing a vintage Morgan around Silverstone this year.
Heck, public road driving is a doddle in comparison, so I would be somewhat miffed if asked to take another test.
I would think that having learned to drive on an old runway at the age of 13, never caused an accident, am au fait with the rules of the road, health & vision fine, it would be a demeaning insult to show that I am still better than some of the complete twits that I encounter.
My Mum is 78, and drives with care & safety, although she does not like reversing.
I suppose that if your GP or Optician has concerns, then of course a general assessment should be conducted as to driving capabilities, but to make it compulsory at a given age would be yet another symtom of a "nanny state".
I shall drive until I consider that I may be starting to make the odd wrong error of judgement.
Meanwhile, I would suggest re-testing folks in their twenties, as that seems to be the problem area.
Bob |
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Mr. PDQ
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Fifty is too young for a retest. I find most of the people who are about 100 do need to be retested as they drive too slowly but then again that is not really as bad a problem as those who drive too fast, drag race or go through red lights. I think that this will determine who needs to be retested and that would be those who are involved in too many accidents, speed in city limits,drive under the influence , race or run red lights. If you get so many of a variety of situations including being pulled over for going too slow, not wearing a seatbelt or wreckless driving should then those should be retested. Just because you are old is not a reason to think someone is a bad driver. |
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bez
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YES!!!! some of them are a serios danger to themselves and others they might not have had an accident but they have caused thousands, 50 is a bit low maybe 65? |
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xenobyte72
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I think people should be made to retake their driving test every ten years, it will keep us sharp.
If we fail, then we are a danger to other people on the road.
If an old person depends on their car and loses their license because they are a dangerous driver, they have to adapt to a new lifestyle. Just because a person is old it doesn't give them the right to endanger the rest of us. |
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§ilver
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a medical is enough at 50, plenty of people i know around that age bracket are excellent drivers, provided that their eyesight or hearing doesn't deteriorate too badly, there isn't really problem up until about 65, from there people will have deteriorated by different speeds, so in order to ensure only safe drivers remain on the roads, a retest every 3 years or so from 65 onwards.
but i thought that's how UK driving regulations went already anyway? |
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karen's revenge
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i think 50 is too young. my dad is in his 50's, and he's one of the best drivers i know. i think it should be at the same age as when people get legally classed as Pensioners - which i believe is 65.
i think that there should be some kind of medical and practical assessment that takes into account eyesight, reactions, and how that person drives...
people say that young drivers are dangerous, but i think that it also applies to some older drivers too - and i've literally been on the receiving end of that scenario.... i was at work one day (this was when i was 19) - my car was parked in a communal car park that was shared between the offices that i worked in and the local Lawn Bowls club..... i was driving though the car park (which was empty apart from about half a dozen cars) when a guy who looked to be in his late 70's got in his car, started it up and then drove straight into me as i passed him ! i got out and asked him what on earth he thought he was doing, and his response was ' where did u come from ? i didn't see u ' !!! daft old sod hadn't even looked round before pulling out of his parking space...... |
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mummaonthaedge
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I think age is mostly irrelevant as there are plenty of idiots causing accidents through complacency and over-confidence. BMW drivers - you know who you are!!! |
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HELEN LOOKING4
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I am sure that "older" drivers are well aware that their reactions are slower and if they are thinking about what is
going on they will get " up to date " by buying the latest Highway Code book.
I am all for the use of the green P for new drivers for a least
one year. |
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Ian C
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You should have to retake your test every 10 years. Would weed out idiots and maniacs. Laws change but when you've passed your test do you really bother keeping up with the highway code? I know many don't. |
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?
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How about retaking the test if you have ever been involved in an accident that was your fault... or have had to make claims against your own insurance, or... if others have... or ever had points on your licence...?
That could be a good enough reason for a retake of the test at any age!
I have been driving as a qualified driver on UK roads for 34 years, without one claim, against my insurers... without one accident to my credit... though, I was run over on a crossing and hit by another car that crossed my path, on my final driving lesson before my test... and with only two parking tickets ever... only one of them my fault.... since one was not caused by my delay... and thus, the store manager, whose staff delayed what should have been a five minute purchase into half an hour... through their incompetence, paid the fine on the spot for me:-) Good ol' Woollies!
Since my test... not one of the above applies to me.
As a driver, I have to put up with speeding drivers... incompetent drivers, more and more foreign drivers who straddle lines and undertake... and never signal their intentions... and pull out without warning... and today... outside the courts... a city gent (maybe a judge?) was on his mobile engrossed in conversation and unaware the lights had changed... and he pulled across to park... without indicating!
Inside the same fifteen minute journey, two other cars pulled out without warning right in front of me... a woman opened her car door right in my path.... and one pulled in front of me to join the stream of traffic... only to brake sharply within yards and park without indicating... and if, at 62, my reflexes were not up to scratch... I'd have hit all of them!
Some people are dangerous as they age... yes I agree... my ex dad-in-law was and is still one of them... still driving at the age of 89... though his wife had seen his reflexes were bad... she told me so... she wanted them to use taxis... said they could afford them...but he stubbornly refused and was seriously offended.
Three weeks later, he pulled out too soon onto a duel carriageway... the car travelling along it hit them at speed... it killed her after throwing her across the duel carriageway as she landed on her head... she was in the centre at the back.. having given up her seat in the front to a friend... and it injured three other elderly passengers, all who... all died within two years... because of that car crash... And guess what? He was not injured... the court felt sorry for him at the time... everybody did... and the poor young driver of the other car felt bad... really bad... likely still does... since he was not at fault... and the ex dad-in-law never once assumed he was at fault... that he should give up driving... he was then 75... so... I'd say seventy is a good age for checkups and possible retesting... and seventy... is the age already set today for medicals and check ups anyway!
I was hit by a young dad of three on that crossing and left in coma for months as a child... he lost his job and licence for seven years. He was a lorry driver. The fault was his. He was not old.
My friends nephew died last weekend at the age of 27 on the back of a bike ridden by a 35 year old... he's being done for manslaughter, because he ran away from the scene!
I've seen many deaths caused by many young and older drivers... and the car that crossed my path when I was 28 years old... which I hit in the side while doing 65mph... was driven by a US serviceman and was a left hand drive, fortunately... so he hadn't got a scratch... I ended in the hospital instead... my instructor was dead within two years, because of it!
It isn't down to age, it's down to reflexes and whether you have ever had an accident... or caused one... or made any claims... or had any points for speeding... or other motoring offences... that's the only way to make safe drivers on our roads...as well as making foreign drivers have 'brush up lessons' so as to get used to our roads, prior to using them... whatever the EU licence people say!
End of rant:-) |
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Rob E
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Yes, and I think regular retests would improve driving quality too. It would cost more, but drivers and non-drivers would benefit from better safety on the roads.
More tests following 1st passes, say after 2 years or so. Then something like every 5 to 7 years. It wouldn't necessarily mean more learners on the roads, just more testers and testing. It would be an extra tax on road users, but priced appropriately would be a good thing. Older drivers would probably benefit from more thorough screening. Some even have had licenses after taking no tests, as licences were given in the past just through having driven vehicles etc.
Often the bad drivers are people who don't always get 'caught' for this, such as when they cause people to hit them in their rear-end, after pulling out wrongly. Then the other person can get stumped for insurance costs. The bad drivers might even be able to drive off, without injury to their own vehicles or themselves, leaving other people to pickup the pieces, and costs, damaged and lost lives afterwards.
Good luck! Rob |
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johncob
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OK, so we are into crass statements. I believe that everyone under 30 should be made to take a driving test EVERY year. |
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Craiginhio
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yes i do think so... I don't think that we should restrict this to senior citizens though - maybe everyone should take a driving test every ten years...
There are far to many people on the road now that have developed terribly bad habits and are becoming dangerous!! |
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kaydee
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I certainly think you should be retested but I don't know how you could pick an age. Unfortunately as you get older things like reflex actions become much slower and your reactions in general change. I think the longer you have been driving the more likely you are to pick up bad habits so if you failed a test after say 25 years behind the wheel that just proves you shouldn't be on the road, but then again neither should a lot of 'younger' drivers who do their utmost to annoy quiet estates in their boy racer cars! Sorry to all of you careful drivers out there. |
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Mark J
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Yes but 50 is too low. I would say 65 to 70 then every 5 years thereafter. Too many accidents are caused by pensioners loosing control of their automatic cars. |
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ann113599
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I think as you get older you are more likely to be a better driver, than a worse one, i have been driving now for a good number of years,and i would willingly take my test again but i actually think that the test should be retaken one after a bad accident were someone has been killed, as sometime the nerves go, which would make for bad driving also when a person hit the age of seventy, and a bad driving offence, i personally feel that if a person is catch driving recklessly the licence should automatically be taken away and a retest done before they can drive again, it would make for less accidents on the road. |
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♥S♥T♥E♥P♥H♥
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i think that every road user should take their test again every 10 years, sounds unfair but think about it, do you drive as though you were still a learner driver: feeding the steering wheel around the corner, do you check your mirrors at every gear change and every time you brake, i dont think so because i no i dont.... |
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treacle0511
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yes, i think about 50, and you should not be able to drive over a certain age either, say about 70.
Older drivers are so dangerous they scare the hell out of me!! |
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Tilly Ward
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I think we should all take our test again every ten years, my friend was killed by an elderly man with a bad heart condition who just died at the wheel and ploughed him down. Over ten years alot can happen to someone. I would give up mine if my health was a problem but not everyone would. Am not saying I am a great law abiding citizen but it's true. |
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Chelsey
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I think that we should all have monitors in our cars to constantly read our speed and driving behaviors. Each month the monitor is to be turned into your insurance agency. This way the bad drivers are punished with higher insurance rates and the good drivers get lower rates. |
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