Old drivers
Sophie's horrific accident is a case in point to prove that many older driver are too stubborn and arrogant to know when they should not be driving. Politicians love to target young drivers as being reckless and dangerous drivers. What about these 70+ people with failing eyesight, hearing and mobility? I heard a story of an 80 year old driver who couldn't turn her neck sufficiently to look over her should when changing lanes. She also had tunnelvision. I pity any motorcycle riders anywhere near her on the road! Not to mention brain function. Driving, particularly on modern city roads, requires rapid mental processing of visual and audio information. Split-second decisions need to be made. Older people begin to lose this level of brain function. The same 80year old mentioned above, drove for 2 years on a cancelled licence, because she forgot to renew it. Its time for mandatory physical and mental testing (akin to the computer tests P Drivers need to take) for drivers over the age of 75. And they should be placed on P licences after the age of 80.
I agree, but what do you propose as an answer?
Mandatory driving checks on people over a certain age?
The government did propose 'M' plates for elderly drivers, but elderly drivers said they believed it stood more "MENACE" not "MATURE" and that they were so against it as a matter of principle that they would prefer to ignore the plates and pay any consequential fines, rather than cause any insult to their sense of dignity.
But at the end of the day, you are right and we just need to have the guts to do what it takes.
The protection of our children's lives is more important than the protection of our pensioner's dignity, in my respectful opinion.
Hear hear! Although i think my fertilizer option is more cost-effective.