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We were just at the point where he would have to give up and surrender his licence, unless by some miracle he was able to pass an assessment, but the decision was never made as his health declined dramatically after a fall at home and unfortunately he's no longer with us.
From a different perspective, I'm a non-driver. I took 4 tests in my early 20s, didn't pass, got pissed off and gave up. Then I moved into London and never bothered with it again as I use public transport. I have got vague ideas of moving out of London when I retire (if that ever happens) but I imagine that would make travel a problem. Reading this thread, is it realistic to think I, or anyone, could learn to drive at 60+?
Like I said not a popular decision and one that will affect me in 10 years but what's the alternative .... eventually the traffic around areas like London will be so dense it probably will be quicker to walk. Certainly that's true for parts of Los Angela's in rush hours now and we're not far behind in London
I would have no objection to being tested and neither would my highly skilled motorcycle instructor wife, but I think an automatic ban at the beginning of our statistically safest driving decade would be bizarre.
I stopped driving around four months ago as I was suffering from a compressed spinal chord and had lost about 50% function in my right hand and severe weakness in both legs. I recognised one day that I was struggling and decided that was best to stop until I was better. Luckily my wife drives, so I was still able to get round, but while I'm off work, and on my own during the day I do find it hard not to be able to just jump in the car and go wherever I want. I've since had an operation to reverse my symptoms and in the last week have driven a couple of times and felt almost back to normal. Having had this experience, I do realise how hard it must be to have to surrender your licence, due to the freedom driving affords you, especially if you're on your own and don't have anyone else to drive you around, however you should still be able to recognise when a failing body is putting yourself and others in danger and take the appropriate measures.
I'll chuck it in when I consider myself dangerous, the only thing on the increase in my middle age is the awareness of how fooked I'm going to be in another 10 years time.
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
It's important to realise that the graph above is for death rate per million *population*, not per million *drivers* - that makes the over-80s far worse, since the population over that age, and the numbers driving even among those, is much lower than for the other age decades. It's also just for the drivers, and not for whoever else they might kill. That may apply to the 70-79 decade as well, where there is clearly a huge jump in the death rate.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/72424/
My dad is 77 on Sunday. His driving is not as good as it used to be. He's not yet at the point where I'd say he is unsafe to drive, but mum is planning to sell the caravan. She's not comfortable with him towing a caravan long distances.
His driving has deteriorated over the last 5 years. At 72, he was fine, but it has gradually been getting worse. He drove from Kent to Devon a couple of days ago without incident, but he's probably done that route over 100 times over the years. I'd be more nervous about him on a route that he doesn't know. He doesn't react as well as he used to.
They didn't go on holiday to the French alps this year for the first time in around 20 years. Part of that was because my mum didn't feel comfortable driving down through France with him any more. Last time they went, mum said that he didn't react well. Driving unfamiliar roads on the wrong side of the road though is very different from driving routes you know.
He's probably not yet at the point where he needs to stop completely. I'd still rather ride with him than with my mum - even if my mum was 20 years younger. She learnt to drive in small town in Devon. Riding with her on motorways, or in cities, was never a pleasant experience.
I can imagine that there might be an awkward conversation a few years down the line. He's not going to want to give up.
I think it is mid 70's where things start to go downhill for the majority. That graph shows an increase for the 70 to 79 age group, but I suspect that the 75+ part of that age group is responsible for a disproportionate number of those.
Although I have to say that when my last car was hit from the side (by a roughly 18-19 year-old driver, it has to be said!) and my daughter was on the side that was hit, I was *very* glad to be in a wide modern car with doors at least six inches thick. She was completely unhurt - there wasn't even any visible intrusion into the inside space - and I'm not sure that would have been true in anything built before about 1990.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The UK has some of the safest roads in the World to drive on.
More people were killed on the UK roads in the 20's and 30's than now.
Deaths on UK roads has been falling since the 60's although it does seem to have plateaued at the moment. This is despite a vast increase in traffic, ie UK roads have never been safer to drive on.
That of course does not mean there isn't room for improvement.
The UK driving test is one of the hardest to pass in the World too, and has been getting harder.
I'm not convinced that making the test massively harder would be beneficial, and retesting everyone yearly would simply not be feasible, nor I think helpful.
It would seem to me that two problem areas are inexperienced drivers and older drivers.
From my own perspective I felt I became a much safer driver after the first year or so after passing my test, and, not withstanding typical teenage testosterone fuelled boy racers, I suspect that's true of most drivers.
Maybe this could be addressed by making "P" plates compulsory.
For sure though, there are older drivers who are simply don't have the faculties, and I expect this can only be addressed by some for compulsory testing.