The Elderly Under Scrutiny Again

[Grennan]

An 85-year-old man struck by a car as its driver was parking at Rosebud (Victoria) yesterday, has died in hospital. Police say the elderly driver was parking on a service road when his foot slipped and hit the accelerator

The car crashed into a bench where a man and woman were sitting.

The bench was then pushed three metres into the front window of a bank.

Since the crash yesterday there has been talk of stricer licensing of Elderly Drivers, however Victorian Premier Mr Brumby has denied there should be any reason for concern saying "he did not believe it should prompt stricter controls of elderly drivers, whose licences are renewed every three years, once they are aged 75, though they are not tested."

Mr Brumby said "The onus should remain with drivers themselves and their friends and family."
------------------------

The problem i see with the above statement "The onus should remain with drivers themselves and their friends and family" is that in many instances people deny they have a problem and often believe they are better than they actually are.

[Hot-Rod]

hmm, pickel of a dickel a.

[Peanuts Inc.]

they should be tested every year in my opinion.... everybody knows how rapidly the elderly deteriorate.... they just dont tell anyone and try not to show it

[BLK-SAB]

Apparently its happened at least 4 times in the past year in that same shopping strip, none fatal, but all the same, old people getting confused.

There was the case in Glen Waverley i think it was mid year when an old guy did the same thing and killed somebody, and also an old woman went through the front of a dentists surgery.

[AttaBoy]

Elderly drivers is like putting a 15 year old behind the wheel. They are dangerous and I got a couple of near misses on the way to work in the past month. Its shocking seeing how many elderly drivers in Dandenong (Vic)!!!

[Grennan]

Just a bit of an update that i read from yesterdays paper. The driver had his license suspended at the time of the crash due to eyesight problems.

[minux]

Originally Posted by Peanuts Inc.

they should be tested every year in my opinion.... everybody knows how rapidly the elderly deteriorate.... they just dont tell anyone and try not to show it

EVERYONE should be tested once a year!!

[Morton]

Yeah, but testing isn't the issue for most people imo. A person under test conditions will always be more cautious and drive more slowly than a person on their way to work, or late to an appointment. The majority of clumsy, rekless driving happens when a driver's mind is occupied with issues other than driving.

[nicko]

i agree that people should in some way shape or form be tested by its not going to happen. we dont live in a perfect world. Both my grandparents handed their licences in when they felt unsafe behind the wheel. None of them had accidents and then thought oh id better give this up. Doctors of the elderly/ if not everyone should be able to make the call to have a person tested or reviewed.

But yes this is a pickle

[crazyspoon05]

If it's not viable to have a full on road test each year everyone who holds a licence should be sitting an eye sight and reaction test every year IMO

[Spaced]

Why don't we force them to all get the old school Volvos the ones where you put your foot down and they take off really really slowly. More time for them to realise they have hit the accelerator and not the brake.

[BLK-SAB]

Over the age of 55 you should be sitting eye and reaction tests. Doesnt make sense to do it for everybody.

[crazyspoon05]

Originally Posted by Spaced

Why don't we force them to all get the old school Volvos the ones where you put your foot down and they take off really really slowly. More time for them to realise they have hit the accelerator and not the brake.

That's no good, we all know Volvo's don't get damaged during accidents so they will be able to cause never ending havoc and the cars magically rebuld themselves like Christine...