The Importance of Five Point Harnesses on carseats

"toypup" wrote in message
et...

"toto" wrote in message
The problem is *not* age, but attention on driving when driving.

I am not saying young drivers do not have accidents. I am saying elderly
drivers are far more likely to have accidents due to confusion -- not
distraction -- than young drivers.

Yes, I'd bet there are tons of accidents that can be attributed to lack of
attention while driving by the young and not so young. Unfortunately, I
don't know of any tests that can weed out those text messaging, using
cellphone, searching for playlists, put on makeup, drink coffee, or eat
while driving. And moms driving carpools seem to some of the biggest
transgressors. However, in one of those flukes of nature, drivers tend to
pay attention when driving with a tester in their car. I do applaud laws
that make it clear driving requires your full attention, and if you don't
make it your priority you can be cited.

But being easily confused, and reaction times, can be tested.

wrote:

toto wrote:

The young woman who hit me in the rear end because she mistook the gas
pedal for the brake pedal was in her late 20s and distracted by a cell
phone call from the hospital she worked at.

The problem is *not* age, but attention on driving when driving.


I can top those... My one sister, in her 20s, totaled her car on a
major CT expressway, because she was *text messaging* while driving.
My other sister, also in her 20s, backed into a pickup which rammed
into the side of her house, taking out an entire two-story porch before
plowing into the house in back. She got the gas and brake mixed up.

However, I've got *much* worse stories involving fatalities for older
drivers. A dear friend, who was an absolutely rotten driver, pulled
out in front of a fire engine because it was his right of way. My
grandmother was killed in a car acccident when her friend made a driver
error. And of course there was the tragedy down in LA a few years ago
when the elderly man drove at high speeds through the farmer's market.
I absolutely think people should be getting annual eye exams at least,
and that there should be regular physical driving tests also -- maybe
every 2 years? It's not a matter of prejudice and anti-elderly bias;
it's a medical fact that as you age, your reflexes slow down.
Everyone's reflexes don't slow at the same rate, which is why we should
have a test, not a moritorium on all drivers over 65 (or whatever age).


Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04


Dear friend killed a boy (he was probably 30) reaching for a cell phone.
As well my friend phoned me this last week and she totaled her car
driving into her driveway by going to fast and hitting the gas instead
of the brake... I personally would like to see statistics that say
elderly are more likely to get in accidents but I dont' think that was
what was said anyhow... it was that they are more easily confused than
distracted I think?

I do know my mother has to test more freqently now that she's 80. She
has been a few accidents due to not being able to quickly divert away
from bad drivers. That I worry about. Nowadays you have to drive for
yourself and other idiot drivers out there.

I'm sure it's different in different states but I cannot imagine that
there are not many cities, states that make older drivers test more??? No?

Anni

Tori M wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
[snip]
I absolutely think people should be getting annual eye exams at least,
and that there should be regular physical driving tests also -- maybe
every 2 years? It's not a matter of prejudice and anti-elderly bias;
it's a medical fact that as you age, your reflexes slow down.
Everyone's reflexes don't slow at the same rate, which is why we should
have a test, not a moritorium on all drivers over 65 (or whatever age).


Honnestly if I got my licence finaly and had to test again in 2 years I
wouldnt pass. I dont test well.

Over here, you can take your driving test when you are 17yo, and avoid
being tested again. When you get to 70yo, your have to renew your
license every three years: I think your doctor has to OK it. I saw
some figures that said there are 34 people over 100yo who still have a
license.

FWIW, you can be banned from driving, for various lengths of time, for
driving related offenses.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

In article , Mermaid says...



wrote:

toto wrote:

The young woman who hit me in the rear end because she mistook the gas
pedal for the brake pedal was in her late 20s and distracted by a cell
phone call from the hospital she worked at.

The problem is *not* age, but attention on driving when driving.


I can top those... My one sister, in her 20s, totaled her car on a
major CT expressway, because she was *text messaging* while driving.
My other sister, also in her 20s, backed into a pickup which rammed
into the side of her house, taking out an entire two-story porch before
plowing into the house in back. She got the gas and brake mixed up.

However, I've got *much* worse stories involving fatalities for older
drivers. A dear friend, who was an absolutely rotten driver, pulled
out in front of a fire engine because it was his right of way. My
grandmother was killed in a car acccident when her friend made a driver
error. And of course there was the tragedy down in LA a few years ago
when the elderly man drove at high speeds through the farmer's market.
I absolutely think people should be getting annual eye exams at least,
and that there should be regular physical driving tests also -- maybe
every 2 years? It's not a matter of prejudice and anti-elderly bias;
it's a medical fact that as you age, your reflexes slow down.
Everyone's reflexes don't slow at the same rate, which is why we should
have a test, not a moritorium on all drivers over 65 (or whatever age).


Em
mama to Micah, 11/14/04


Dear friend killed a boy (he was probably 30) reaching for a cell phone.
As well my friend phoned me this last week and she totaled her car
driving into her driveway by going to fast and hitting the gas instead
of the brake... I personally would like to see statistics that say
elderly are more likely to get in accidents but I dont' think that was
what was said anyhow... it was that they are more easily confused than
distracted I think?


The best source I found:

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd...8/AgeSex96.pdf

Per mile, the accident rate goes up after 65, and especially after 80. Per
licensed driver, the rate actually goes down monotonically with age, although
I'd say it's because of the accumilated actions of families like ours that
intervened, and the lower number of miles driven. So the bad driving is
concentrated in fewer miles.

Banty

"Penny Gaines" wrote in message
...
Tori M wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
[snip]
I absolutely think people should be getting annual eye exams at least,
and that there should be regular physical driving tests also -- maybe
every 2 years? It's not a matter of prejudice and anti-elderly bias;
it's a medical fact that as you age, your reflexes slow down.
Everyone's reflexes don't slow at the same rate, which is why we should
have a test, not a moritorium on all drivers over 65 (or whatever age).


Honnestly if I got my licence finaly and had to test again in 2 years I
wouldnt pass. I dont test well.

Over here, you can take your driving test when you are 17yo, and avoid
being tested again. When you get to 70yo, your have to renew your
license every three years: I think your doctor has to OK it. I saw
some figures that said there are 34 people over 100yo who still have a
license.


Doesn't mean they use it!
My granny renewed her licence although we knew that she wasn't going to use
it. It was renewed because not renewing it would have really made her feel
like a "poor old thing". For the same reason my mum "borrowed" her car
rather than it being sold, but we all knew that she wouldn't ever drive
again.
Debbie
FWIW, you can be banned from driving, for various lengths of time, for
driving related offenses.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three