Is your driving safe?
Not my usual blog topic today. I've been following an interesting story unfold in the news over the weekend.
A 93 year old motorist has been disqualified from driving and fined £4000 for causing the death of a motorcyclist by careless driving (see full story).
An immediate concern arises from that news story; should a 93 year old motorist be allowed to drive?
What's even more interesting is that the 93 year old driver has never taken a driving test, since driving tests were not around when he started driving. Which sparks the concern around elderly drivers. When and how should they be told to stop driving?
Once a motorist is "unsafe" to drive a vehicle they should not be allowed to do so. In much the same way that a 14 year old teenager is not allowed behind the wheel or a drink driver. What do all these have in common? They're unable to handle a vehicle for one reason or another.
Many threats have come and gone about regular driving tests becoming compulsory. But is it such a bad idea?
What if you lose your license?
The problem with having to take a driving test say every 10 years is what happens if you fail the test? For most this would result in losing jobs, being unable to get around and some real problems.
Modern driving tests focus highly on technique and disciplined driving. The majority of drivers would most likely fail a modern driving test down to the wrong technique alone (e.g. two hands on the wheel at 10 to 2). So is there another way around the problem?
Driving reviews
Some have suggested "driving reviews" to ensure the ability to see properly and understand roads and driving. This would probably involve a 5-10 year checks on motorists to make sure they understand "safe driving". More importantly it would find those that are unfit to drive; medical conditions that haven't been reported to the DVLA or being too old to safely drive in modern driving conditions.
Whatever the outcome is something needs to be done. You only need to drive around on a Sunday to fully understand the driving capabilities of the minority of the over 70s.
I experience OAP drivers regularly at weekends. On Sunday a car trailing a caravan pulled out of a junction on a national speed limit road in-front of me. Luckily my breaks managed to avoid rear-ending the caravan. The driver? looked about 80. Need I say anymore?
Want my true opinion? You can't learn to drive until you're over 17, so lets ban the over 70s...
The result?
Driving on a Sunday? Bliss. Accidents such as the above? Significantly reduced.
I rest my case.
Back tomorrow at 09:00
Simon
