Elderly Drivers I have many pet peeves. I get the most aggravated when it comes to other people’s poor driving. Nothing makes me madder than when someone is not paying attention while they are driving. They pull out right in front of you, causing you to slam on your brakes or swerve into the other lane to miss them. Once they pull out, they go entirely too slow. I am like, « Okay buddy, what was the rush?! » I have a big problem with elderly people driving. Once you hit a certain age, you should be required to pass another vision, hearing, and driving test. Or better yet, after you get your license you should be required to take a test every ten years, or prior to renewing their license. As you age, your eye sight and hearing get worse. This makes it more difficult for them to see other vehicles, animals in the road, children playing a little too close to the road, hazardous road conditions, curves, etc. It also makes it more difficult to hear someone’s horn blow, a train, police sirens, or someone yelling for you to watch out. Your reaction time slows down with every passing year. You may see the deer in the road, but you can not react quick enough to apply the brake or swerve to miss it. Elderly people tend to drive extremely slow. This is good for them, but dangerous when it comes to the other drivers. If someone is driving (even if they are driving the speed limit) and pop over a hill or around a curve, and there is someone driving very slowly, it can be easy for a collision to occur. There have been many times that I see an older person in a store or restaurant who is doing all they can do just to walk a halfway straight line. You hear them speak, and wonder if they have dementia or something, because it seems as if there is something wrong with them mentally. Then you see the same person who it was difficult for them to walk or talk get behind the wheel of a car. What is wrong with this picture?! They could not even walk a straight line, so how are they going to be able to drive a car without it reminding you of the bumper cars at the local fair or carnival? As we age, our bodies go through significant changes. It seems like the doctors give us more and more prescriptions to take each time we have a doctor’s appointment. As we age, we get new aches and pains, and arthritis can begin to take over our bodies. This too may require medications. Even if the medications are prescribed to you from your doctor, it can be very dangerous to drive while the pills are in your body. What is the difference between driving under the influence of alcohol, pain pills, or any other mind or body altering drug? There is not. Thousands of people die each year in car accidents. Even more than that are injured in car accidents. Not paying attention, harsh weather conditions, deer or other animals, and many other things can be the cause of most vehicle crashes. The elderly can also be a major factor. Not all older people are bad or dangerous drivers. Many of the older adults simply should not be driving any longer. Something seriously needs to be done about this. Americans should be required to take vision, hearing, and driving tests more than the one time when they turn 16 and first get their license. Drive smart, America. If injuries and deaths can be avoided by getting inappropriate drivers off the road, why not get them off of the road? Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil