Should there be a age limit for driving?

Question

Do you think there should be a age limit for driving?

I think there should be!

I mean, honestly a lot of car accidents out there are because of a old person driving to slowly, or maybe they hit something because they dont see it.

Like I am not trying to discriminate but dont you think over 80 is old enought for driving???

Answer 1

YES THEY SHOULD HAVE TO TEST EVERY YEAR to be safe

Answer 2

No, I don't think there should be a specific age limit.  My grandmother was 85 when she died and was able to drive just fine.  Being able to go to the store and run errands on her own once a week or so was the only way she was able to remain independent.  Why take away the license of a person who is still fully alert and drives better than most teenagers?  I have people at my church in their mid 90s who are still capable drivers.

I definitely think they need to have a driving test pretty often, maybe even as much as every one or two years, but I don't think it would be right to create a blanket age limit.  It's not like we have people with alzheimers, blindness and dimensia out there driving around, because they lose their license if they are medically diagnosed with something that makes it unsafe for them to drive.

Answer 3

They should not prohibit someone who can drive safely from doing so merely because of age.  

They should require tests, similar to those when a teenager first gets a license, to determine if the person can still drive safely and revoke the license only if the person does not pass the test.

Answer 4

both ways young people cause most of the wrecks because they are too stupid to be driving and the older people minds play tricks on them that are costly in property  and lives lost make the driving age at least 18 and make 75 year old people take tests

Answer 5

I think you can turn that around too and say maybe there should be an age limit on how old you can be to "begin" driving.  

Alot of unexperienced (young) drivers do have alot of accidents in this country too yeah know!

I think it would be a good idea that after a certain age once you get over the age of say 70 you should have to take a test every year or two regarding how your age is effecting your driving.   I do believe something like that would be good.

But other than not being able to drive until your 18 might not do any good because inexperience is inexperience know matter what age you start.  So that idea wouldn't work!

Hope I answered your question.

Answer 6

No, I don't think there should be an age limit.

I DO think, however, that seniors should be required to take yearly exams (written and road) to make sure they are fully capable of operating a motor vehicle.

As we age, reflexes get slower. Also, sight and hearing start to deteriorate, leading to slower response time.

Most seniors have been driving a long time. They have the experience under their belts to be better drivers than those of us who are younger. They are more careful and rarely speed (if ever). They are typically not pushy or aggressive drivers and in my opinion, have every right to be out there as long as they are capable.

EMT

Answer 7

If they can drive safely and understand the rules of the road, then no one should have their license taken away.

MARCH 2008

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year olds.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 3,490 drivers in this age group died in motor vehicle crashes in 2006 and an additional 272,000 were injured.

Drivers age 15- to 20-years old accounted for 12.9 percent of all the drivers involved in fatal crashes and 16 percent of all the drivers involved in police-reported crashes.

Twenty-five percent of teen drivers killed were intoxicated. In 2002 (latest data available) the estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 was $40.8 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov ).

Among licensed drivers, young people between the ages of 15 and 20 have the highest rate of fatal crashes relative to other age groups, including the elderly.

In fact, the risk of being involved in a fatal crash for teens is three times greater than for drivers age 65 to 69.

Answer 8

Past a certain age, lets say 70, they should make these people pass a driving test once a year.

Answer 9

yeah driving at age of 14 or 15

Answer 10

I THINK there ought to be a age limit on cell

phone   buyers and users.the accidents they have caused by teens using them wile driving and eat ting food at the same time.THEN THERE NASTY ATTITUDE WHEN THEY ALL MOST      CAUSED A ACCIDENT,(it's my d**n phone and i can talk when i want to,it's your fault because

your old

YES  some older people shouldn't drive and some States have laws,but none on phone hogs

The older SENIORS woulden, t drive but have no one to buy groceries,or pay bills.THEY  have been

driving a lot longer than you have,and would rather

not.Driving  slow  is better than people speeding

because they have the horsepower.

I AM not  discriminating,but telling it as it is.

Answer 11

I can not agree with you more,by 80 most people do not have the reflex time to avoid accindent.

Answer 12

i'm not sure an age limit would go over big. people do age differently, but i do think that at a certain age, people should have to retake the drivers exam or should be under some other kind of scrutiny. When people come into the store i work at and aske me questions where i am literally shouting hte answers andi  have to physically (slowly) walk them to the product pick it up and hand it to them so they can find it, while repeating that, yes this IS the one on ad and then afte that they get into a car and drive away? this world is not safe...

a lot of these people actually got their drivers license before a drivers test was mandatory.  i don't know the year it went into  effect but some people on the road were basically handed their license when they turned eighteen and there has been no follow up. they can follow the rules of the road becasue they have never been taught them.

by the way, i hate the age discrimination thing that was mentioned up there. it's called AGING. what happens to fruit that is aged? what about a racehorse? it's a fact of life, once you hit a certain point it IS all down hill.

I am a type 1 diabetic and have been since i was six years old with no major complications. every year i have to have a doctor's note saying i am fit to drive turned into the state or my license will be revoked.  is that diabetes discrimination?

Answer 13

they were talking about that a few years ago, but i guess they arnt going to

they said

once they hit 70 every 3 years they have to take a test

Answer 14

No. But i do believe a person should re-do their test every fifteen years.

Answer 15

i dont really think an exact age limit.. i think though at around 65 they should have to be tested every year after for their drivers licence..because some 80 year olds are more active then a 40 year old would be.. It all depends on how active they are some have perfect vission at that age..

Answer 16

yes, there should be...half of all accidents are caused by kids 16-24...the next most accident prone age group is the over-65 crowd...some states make older drivers prove their competence behind the wheel every few years--good idea, but groups like AARP resist this testing because it "discriminates against old people"...each state is different as to how they handle older drivers.

Answer 17

There is a process for reviewing the driving fitness of each driver. A family member can submit a form that will allow the State to do a drivers test for an older driver who may not be fit to drive. A drivers test should be able to discern whether a driver is fit to drive.

I know some drivers who are very capable of driving at 80. I know some teen drivers that should not.

Do you want the State to disallow any teen driver from driving because their records are so much worse than the national average?  Your logic dictates that we should.