Based on a claim that 'Elderly' drivers are three times more likely to crash, a silly government quango is promoting a "new test at 70 to stay on the road". Some 3,000,000 drivers would be affected.
It was only recently that we heard of mooted attacks on young drivers by the authorities Now it is the turn of the elderly and I do wonder is this is all for the benefit of reducing road congestion. Simply wipe out a generation of drivers.
But, ABD Chairman Brian Gregory is worried that mass random retesting is not the answer as a great majority of elderly drivers are safe, experienced and able drivers plus quite a high number are disabled thus rely on their car for independences. So to force them onto the abysmal public transport is not really the correct solution.
There would be a strong argument for targeted retraining aimed at drivers of any age whose driving shows clear deficiencies. These could be drivers who have been involved in crashes, for instance.
The US has an excellent scheme where elderly drivers who are no longer competent to drive safely can exchange their car for vouchers entitling them to use of a community taxi service.
Now that is a great idea rather than elderly drivers inevitably failing an inappropriate and irrelevant test, to be dumped back in their homes to become a premature burden on social services and relatives.
FemaleFirst Jackie Violet