Update on Duval's
Seems it was a van driven by a 90 year old who mistook the gas pedal for the brake that caused the smashed storefront at Duval's Pharmacy; luckily, the man working directly behind that wall of glass did not get seriously injured!
This begs the question: should there be a mandatory age where we require that the elderly be tested either yearly, or every two years to make sure that they are up to the demands of driving? I am not trying to be crass, and please don't accuse me of practising ageism. It's just that too many instances abound where an elderly driver falls victim to pedal confusion, and in the process they take out a storefront, or sometimes worse, they cause injury to another. What should the age be where testing is required? I haven't pinpointed an exact age, but I would say about mid seventies would be appropriate.
Is this fair, this concept of testing elderly drivers? I don't see it really as a question of being fair, more a case of wanting to protect not only the public, but more importantly the drivers themselves. Many times children of elderly drivers have tried to get either Mom or Dad to stop driving, whether it be due to poor eyesight, hearing, etc, and they have difficulty doing so, as it is a delicate subject to broach. But perhaps if testing were mandatory, it would seem less offensive, as all people of a certain age would have to comply, and could save not only lives, but the dignity of the elderly and all involved as well?
This begs the question: should there be a mandatory age where we require that the elderly be tested either yearly, or every two years to make sure that they are up to the demands of driving? I am not trying to be crass, and please don't accuse me of practising ageism. It's just that too many instances abound where an elderly driver falls victim to pedal confusion, and in the process they take out a storefront, or sometimes worse, they cause injury to another. What should the age be where testing is required? I haven't pinpointed an exact age, but I would say about mid seventies would be appropriate.
Is this fair, this concept of testing elderly drivers? I don't see it really as a question of being fair, more a case of wanting to protect not only the public, but more importantly the drivers themselves. Many times children of elderly drivers have tried to get either Mom or Dad to stop driving, whether it be due to poor eyesight, hearing, etc, and they have difficulty doing so, as it is a delicate subject to broach. But perhaps if testing were mandatory, it would seem less offensive, as all people of a certain age would have to comply, and could save not only lives, but the dignity of the elderly and all involved as well?
posted by Christine at 9:55 PM
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