BellaOnline Forums Money Insurance Should there be an age limit on driver's licenses

I saw on Headline News today a story about an 80 year old lady driving down the wrong side of an interstate in Idaho or Illinois, forget the name of the State at the moment.

They got 70 phone calls about this wrong way driver and State Police had to follow her almost 15 miles to get her to stop. She was disoriented and they sent the Motor Vehicle information to check her license status.

Here in California that elderly man drove through the Farmer's Market killing and injuring many people a few years ago.

There was also an elderly grandmother who pressed the wrong pedal when picking up at a school and ran into some kids.

I think they need to have a limit, pre-set starting somewhere between 70-75.

I have a grandfather in his 80s I believe in NJ and he drives from what I have heard. It is a tough call, but nowadays you can have a car enter your living room, a plane land inside your house and these issues wreak havoc on our insurance rates and plans - especially if the guilty party is uninsured.

What do you think about a national age limit on driving?

I think drivers should take the written and driving test to renew their license every 5 years beginning at age 70.

You know, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's can strike at any age and with little to know warning. And so many people are out there driving for 20 -30 years having no idea any more of what the basic road laws are. (I know I don't remember half of what I studied when I was 16!)

I think to make it completely fair it would not be a bad idea to make everyone take a written exam every 5 years and a driving test every 7 to 10 years. That way no-one can claim that people are trying to be unfair to the elderly - it is just trying to keep unsafe drivers off the road, no matter what their age.

Plus, it would make people pay a lot more attention to the road rules that they blithely ignore on a day to day basis!

Yes!! Nice information that you have shared with us.
Thank you very much

Where i live i believe you have to be 16 to get a license, May be they should raise that age to 18.
As for elderly drivers i have to agree with Susan,

I do not think there should be a mandatory upper age limit - no. There is a woman in our community who is brighter and sharper and a better driver at 92 years old (Yes - 92!) than most of the teenagers I see. She drives "the old folks" (aka 70 year olds) to the doctors, get their prescriptions, grocery shopping, etc. :-)

I also don't think being 16 automatically gives you a brain either. :-) Or being 30. Frankly - the three worse drivers I can think of off the top of my head is my 34 BIL who just got pulled over on a suspended license for DUI; a 28 yr old female who forgets that blinkers and brakes exist in her vehicle...everyone else is just a mind ready; and a 40-something who believes red lights and stop signs are "suggestions".

Discriminating against a particular age just because they are a certain age is wrong. Period.

HOWEVER - I believe EVERY driver should have to retake the full testing procedure every 10 year minimum and every 5 years starting at age 70. Under NO circumstances should Drivers licenses be renewable BY MAIL. Ugh.

Angela <><

I am totally against an upper mandatory age limit on driving. For all the stories you hear about the older driver who has an accident, there are many more older ones who drive safely and are not afflicted with dementia in any way. You can't lump everyone over a certain together. Just as there are some people in their thiries who are irresponsible and act "old" so is it in all age groups.

You're talking ageism here when you say everyone must stop driving at a certain age.That is discrimination and unjustified.

I don't think any RESPONSIBLE driver should have to give up their license. At a certain age, But maybe driving test after so many years.

I agree completely with retaking a driver's test every X years. People forget things. Reminders would be good