A necessary move?

Thursday, December 8, 2005
State lawmakers are looking at five proposals which would impose new restrictions on older drivers.

With several memorable accidents involving the elderly in recent weeks, some said the move is quite necessary.

Many drivers in the Tampa Bay area are over 65 and under current state law, a person can go for 18 years without having to go to a drivers license office to take a vision test. Some state lawmakers said that needs to change.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Sebesta said when teenagers first learn to drive, they do not have free reign behind the wheel.

"We say you can't drive at night," Sebesta said. "You've got to have a person 18 years or older with you, that sort of thing, so is it reasonable to think we might put restrictions on older drivers and I think the answer is yes."

Sebesta said a new Senate study shows a 75-year-old is more than twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident as a 60-year-old.

He's authorized his staff to look at several proposals that would make it harder for senior citizens to renew their licenses.

Among the ideas being discussed: requiring people renewing their licenses to fill out a medical questionnaire and forcing all drivers to take vision tests more frequently. The ideas are meeting with some support from drivers at a St. Petersburg license renewal center.

"I believe there are quite a few people driving that should not be and I think at least they should have some kind of reaction test," driver Roy Tomlin said. "Test their sight and so forth."

AARP lobbyist Charles Milsted said the state needs to provide a resource center where older drivers can test their skills.

"With some options if they decide they need refreshers or perhaps need another source of transportation, I think that would be the ideal way to go," Milsted said.

Several people said they regulate themselves and others said they don't drive at night, avoid rush hour traffic and avoid highways.

The transportation committee will take up the issue in January and try to formulate a bill to take to the full Senate for a vote.

 

Hell yes. Both my grandparents (~85 years old) just got their licenses renewed until the year 2011 without taking any sort or test whatsoever. Now THAT is scary. Luckily for everyone, they do not drive anymore (unless it is a life threatening emergency) and get relatives to take them places when needed.

 

bout damn time...

 

+1
I've thought about this and tried to put myself in thier (seniors) shoes, would I want my license taken from me? It's a freedom. However, I wish I had someone to drive me around now, so when I'm that old.... u can have my license, let somebody drive me! They do need to prob implement some more resources for the elderly to get around, if they do make it harder fo them to renew.

 

I definatley think they should, and it is about time. They put alot of restrictions on others such as those of us with class A license, ie renew every 4 yrs instead of 7, complete physical every 2 yrs, including eye. So yes, do it.
Yes im a little jaded on the issue because my 6 yr old was almost killed with the ex wife because of an older driver that couldnt see over steering wheel let alone See the road.

 

Hey, I've always noticed the trend that life is more like a curve than a straight, upward line. I think you hit that peak around your golden age of 50, and then head back on a decline. Considering that living to 90-100 is normal these days, people 75 or so are about back to the level of a teenager, aren't they? Time to institute permits.

I tell you what, if I can't shit in the toilet, I can't drive.

 

... classic...

 

it doesn't matter anyways. no one at the dmv wants to be the one who fails one of those old people so they help them throught the test. defeats the purpose.

 

heaard it was the same on the third bike test, right sl2racer?

 

Now that's funny!