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Ken Moss · 10-02-2010, 11:24

The full facts about this horrible accident have not been reported to the public as yet so I am not going to comment on this individual incident but re-testing the elderly is becoming a more frequent topic of discussion.

I know two ladies well into their nineties who are as good a driver as anyone on the roads should be but unfortunately they are in a minority. It is a fact that the majority of people's reflexes do become less sharp over time and when we are in charge of something that is potentially deadly on public highways I don't think it is entirely unjustified to suggest an arbitrary reappraisal date. My own father-in-law was a lorry driver for 45 years and yet voluntarily stopped driving at 70 because he felt that his own judgement was not as good as it had been and he was becoming a danger.

Margaret Pilkington made a valid point about isolating the elderly and I suspect that 70 may be a good five years too early but with Jaysay giving us examples like his late father perhaps it would be better to err on the side of caution in this matter?

I am not a great fan of the relentless health and safety regulations that we are subjected to but when policemen are getting a 92 page document on how to ride a bike safely perhaps attentions are not always entirely well-directed.

10-02-2010, 11:24	#15
Ken Moss Common Sense Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Rishton Posts: 2,351 Liked: 16 times Rep Power: 7637	Re: To old to drive? The full facts about this horrible accident have not been reported to the public as yet so I am not going to comment on this individual incident but re-testing the elderly is becoming a more frequent topic of discussion. I know two ladies well into their nineties who are as good a driver as anyone on the roads should be but unfortunately they are in a minority. It is a fact that the majority of people's reflexes do become less sharp over time and when we are in charge of something that is potentially deadly on public highways I don't think it is entirely unjustified to suggest an arbitrary reappraisal date. My own father-in-law was a lorry driver for 45 years and yet voluntarily stopped driving at 70 because he felt that his own judgement was not as good as it had been and he was becoming a danger. Margaret Pilkington made a valid point about isolating the elderly and I suspect that 70 may be a good five years too early but with Jaysay giving us examples like his late father perhaps it would be better to err on the side of caution in this matter? I am not a great fan of the relentless health and safety regulations that we are subjected to but when policemen are getting a 92 page document on how to ride a bike safely perhaps attentions are not always entirely well-directed.