Older drivers are 'not dangerous' - BBC News

In the UK research shows they are not dangerous. In fact better than their much younger counterparts. Is Canada any different? I think not.

My 90 year old grandad, is scary behind the wheel, revving the nuts off his little Fiesta, screeching to a stop etc, my 88 year old friend is not half as scary, even when he has to use his walking stick out the accelerator because his hip hurts too much!!!

Comparing them to 17-21 year old male drivers is damning with feint praise. Far too many elderly drivers who steadfastly refuse to give up driving until they cause an accident, usually by stepping on the accelerator rather the brake, panicking and mounting the pavement killing numerous pedestrians or burying the car in the side of someone's house.

Man trapped as car mounts pavement in Llandudno - BBC News

Man, 82, 'didn't realise he was driving on pavement' - BBC News

Pensioner jailed after 'pedal confusion' collision kills mother - BBC News

Elderly couple in hospital after car crashes into Aberdeen shop - BBC News

Two hurt as car ploughs into Sherborne house - BBC News

Guildford crash: Baby and toddler among seven hurt - BBC News

Car crashes into bungalow in Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil - BBC News

Woman, 80, sentenced over Liverpool schoolgirls crash - BBC News

My grandfather was the same - luckily his only victim was a dry stone wall and his Honda Civic. Your driving licence expires in the UK once you hit 75 and you need a doctor's note to be able to renew it - I wonder how many elderly drivers are actually licensed to drive?

Just recently a driver caused several crashes driving down the wrong side of a motorway, first reports said he was in his early 70's, his real age was 84. I son't drive anymore, for one reason we have excellent public transport, so no fuel bills, no MOTs no car tax and no insurance needed, saves a fortune every year, also I've seen far too many scary situations where the driver was over 70, and just wouldn't feel that safe, I know my reaction times have decreased quite a bit as well.

So young drivers have the most accidents, then old ones and the big bunch in the middle are the 'safest'.

This must mean that young drivers improve with age - and practice. So probably a good idea that they get better.

But older drivers are getting worse, not better.

I've always felt that the 'test' should be a series of assessments rather than a one off where you "forget" everything now you've passed.

And subject to some sort of ongoing review, the frequency of which increases with age and accrued points.

Looking back, I was dangerous when I was young. I thought, like so many, that I was indestructable. My right foot had only two positions, flat down or brake. Fortunately I managed to survive that phase without hurting anybody, including myself in spite of the fact that drink driving laws didn't apply to me.

When I arrived here a few years ago ICBC refused, quite wrongly, to transfer my motorcycle licence. I thought about getting this corrected, and I like riding motor cycles, but I haven't because I realise that either I'd kill myself or some canadian would so it for me.

I regularly drive my grandchildren around and drive defensively at all times. Doing so I witness the chances that other drivers take, of all ages.

I'm approaching 70 now and have to say that I consider myself safer to other road users now than when I was 20. I'm no longer reckless or inexperienced and no longer feel the need to drink and drive and have never taken drugs.

+1 and +1. Its really not fair to compare them with young men. (They really emphasised the "men" part in the article, mentioning nothing of the gender of the older drivers). Seems like yet another jab by the media at young drivers... They make it seem like its a problem with the age group but its really a question of experience. If you started driving at 25 you would be just as dangerous as a 16 y/o for you've had no experience. Bristol is correct, driving gets better with experience and even i've noticed that in my nearly 2 years of driving. (Which I know isn't much in the scheme of things.)

Elderly drivers I often find the main problem is they take much longer to react to a situation than someone younger, so as such they drive slower and may refuse to make manoeuvres on the road that other people find perfectly normal, such as changing lanes. Then you end up with the situation of elderly driver poking along at 45 in a 60 zone, in the left lane.

Part of driving is keeping with the proper speed limit and not disrupting traffic. When all of a sudden you have a driver that is going much slower than the rest of traffic and travelling in the incorrect lane, you create potential for an accident and unnecessary traffic buildup. Often times the driver doesn't even know they are backing up traffic.

I think it should be simple, once you reach age 75 you have to re-take the G road test or equivalent in other provinces/countries, and you have to re-take the test every 5 years when your license expires. This may prompt some drivers who still have it in them so to speak to go get some remedial driving lessons and improve their confidence, as well as weed out the ones who shouldn't be on the road.

A similar approach is used with young drivers, we have to pass the written test, then 2 road tests before we are fully licensed.

My 80 year old mate got rid of his car and now only rents those car2gos but most weekends he's out riding his BMW R1200GS. He doesn't do too badly for a old geezer.

One issue as to why older folks don't like to give up driving even when they really should is because they will have little to no access leaving home since transit outside of major city's is quite poor.

Only place in BC with decent public transit is Vancouver, it's very poor elsewhere in the province.


Probably best for some elderly not to go on highways though, not safe doing 50 on a high marked 110 and that kind of driving is dangerous as well.

as for "old", depends what you view as old?

Gozit may see someone at 30 as old

I consider my 97 year old FIL as old - he recently gave up his license, said he was too old to retake the bi-annual test. Right up unttil the day he stopped driving in August 2016, he never had one ticket or was in an accident.

We congratulated him on doing what he did & said 'although you would never cause an accident', its likely the other idiots on the road who will put you in hospital & write off your vehicle.

My wife & I turn 70 next year, no tickets or accidents either - should we turn in our drivers license'?

Is there an age when medically fit folks should turn in their drivers license?

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119.

Seriously, no. Perhaps it should even be the case that lower age can be flexible if they're good enough.

Have you spoken to your Gandfather that lives in Malta about this?

Does he still have a Canadian drivers license, if so, will he keep on renewing it?

As you may be aware, if you've read the Ontario drivers handbook, a seniors retest/aptitude/eyesight/rules of the road testing is done every two years past the age of 80

An idiot's an idiot regardless of age.

I'm sure people between 50 and 70 are reasonably competent drivers.

After that it is down to the condition of the individual and probably should be monitored with more frequency as the age increases.

Recently at Centennial Golf Course I chatted to a man who was driving at 90. His mental agility was still excellent and he was still playing golf.

That being said he only drove very short distances, down quieter roads that he was highly familiar with.

Young drivers are dangerous because the fear perception starts to heighten around 25. I did some silly things on the road then that I would not do now.

that's ok, I see an 18 year old as a kid

I answered all of those questions above.

Its really all about driving ability-if you can still pass a full road test at age 80 then hey go ahead and drive-that shows you are still capable of driving.

It was also blatantly obvious in my post whom i was qualifying as "old" , ie people 75+
I believe the quote was "People 75+ should have to pass a road test in order to keep driving"