Elderly automobile drivers are dangerous

[stealthyman]

I was stopped at a red light the other day, watching traffic to the left to see when I could make a right turn. When the traffic to the left cleared and just as I was about to start my turn, I got hit from the rear totally by surprise. Not hard enough to knock me down, but I was a bit shook up.

Turned out that the car that hit me was also waiting to make a right turn. Driver of the car was an 87 year old man. He said that he thought I had turned already?

My wife and I stopped her father from driving after he began telling us scary driving stories. We drove him around after that.

I wish these drivers had the common sense to stop driving or the state would take them off the road before they hurt someone.

Stay safe out there ...

 

[FB400]

Hey Stealthy-
I agree 87 is too old for just about anyone to be driving a car. You have to watch out for these folks like you would the 20 something who is texting while driving. If anything though I find the elderly drivers telegraph what they are going to do becuase they drive so slow. In your case there really was not much you could do since he was behind you. To be honest I fear the frazzled soccer mom who is multitasking while driving more than the elderly guy just out piddling around on the road.

 

[frt96]

While I agree that the older you get the slower your reflexes are. Do not lump all seniors into the same catagory.
I have a little story about my 86 year old grandfather. Lets preface this by saying that he drove a Chevron/Standard fuel truck in the SF bay area for 36 years.

We were driving in pretty thick morning traffic going to play golf. He is driving a 1988 mint condition honda accord in the #2 lane going about 70mph when traffic starts to grind to a halt in a hurry.... at the same time a dude in a full size pick up cuts us off while locking up his brakes. Granps hits the binders and threshholdbrakes this thing like a pro while staying like 5" off this guys bumper. He didn't even break a sweat.
Then I started watching him. His eyes never stopped moving.. gauges, side mirror, rear mirror, traffic, repeat. I would drive with him anywhere!!

My grandma, now thats another story.

 

[Jez]

Cool story.

 

[Jman]

Try living in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for 28 years! After getting run off the road enough times (both on bike and in car), you don't even get angry anymore.

 

[BH322893]

Try living in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for 28 years! After getting run off the road enough times (both on bike and in car), you don't even get angry anymore.

ya I lived in Palm beach for a while and its not really an age thing, I saw plenty of accidents between people in the 50-60 range who just didn't pay attention

 

[Tailgate]

In my opinion, 130 should be cut-off. NO EXCEPTIONS!

 

[RJ2112]

While I agree that the older you get the slower your reflexes are. Do not lump all seniors into the same catagory.
I have a little story about my 86 year old grandfather. Lets preface this by saying that he drove a Chevron/Standard fuel truck in the SF bay area for 36 years.

We were driving in pretty thick morning traffic going to play golf. He is driving a 1988 mint condition honda accord in the #2 lane going about 70mph when traffic starts to grind to a halt in a hurry.... at the same time a dude in a full size pick up cuts us off while locking up his brakes. Granps hits the binders and threshholdbrakes this thing like a pro while staying like 5" off this guys bumper. He didn't even break a sweat.
Then I started watching him. His eyes never stopped moving.. gauges, side mirror, rear mirror, traffic, repeat. I would drive with him anywhere!!

My grandma, now thats another story.

The skill of the magician only fades so much...... good story.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

NHP Investigates Fatal Accident on U.S. 95 at Decatur - KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las Vegas

Just last month, we had a rider die from a head on collision involving a 82 year old driver on a local freeway. What makes this story so incredible is that the driver managed to get all the way across four lanes and into the HOV lane.

It's a stretch of freeway that I often take, and I questioned why the rider wouldn't see the vehicle coming? Turned out the stretch of highway where the collision occured was near a sweeping uphill left hand turn, so it would have been pretty tough to see that one coming. And that's probably the area of the highway that you would expect a vehicle would be travelling in the wrong direction.

Yes, we are taught to create the worst case scenario, well this one sure made me realize anything is possble.

By the way, he was travelling with another rider, who happened to go down as well, but no death. They were both serviceman from an Air Force Base up in Idaho who were down here for training at Nellis, our local AFB.

RIP

 

[mcteague]

At least they have not figured out how to use cell phones. Now THAT would be an extra deadly combination.

Tim

 

[macem29]

this is a real sore point with me, 2 years ago I was at my boy's football
practise, parked behind the high school, in a parking spot....opened the
door to get out and my phone rang at the exact same time, sat back down
with my left leg out the door that was open about a foot and took the
call...about 30 seconds later the door is yanked from my hand and pulled
forward all the way until the outside door skin is flush with the front fender
and this ancient lady with coke bottle bottoms on her face looks over the
hood of her car and says : oh my! what happened to your door?...turns out
to be the coach's Mom...and also turns out to be my fault for having the
door open and I'm paying a 30% surcharge on my insurance for 6 years
because of it :spank:

 

[sabre]

Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Canfield was killed in November of 2008 when an elderly driver made a left turn in front of his police motorcycle. Deputy Canfield had his Red and Blue flashing lights on to pull over another vehicle for a traffic violation. Deputy Canfield was not above the posted speed limit.

If this elderly driver did not see the huge black & white R1200RT-P with flashing lights that Deputy Canfield was riding, how can we expect to even have a chance.

 

[nextfriday]

driving a car is a huge responsibility. People have taken it for granted. I think there comes a point in time where seniors need to hang it up those car keys! It should be a law! My mom is in her 70's and it scares the crap out of me every time i drive in the car with her. Its a huge worry of mine. At the very least, seniors should be tested regularly. Testing may discourage them to continue to drive. We need safer roads in the states. And raise the minumum driving age to age 18!

 

[Jman]

ya I lived in Palm beach for a while and its not really an age thing, I saw plenty of accidents between people in the 50-60 range who just didn't pay attention

50-60......That is like the teenage years round those parts. Those damn kids!

 

[ELIZABETH]

Try living in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for 28 years! After getting run off the road enough times (both on bike and in car), you don't even get angry anymore.

That's why it's called "God's Waiting Room!!" :rof:

 

[Jman]

This is kind of sad, but I remember living there when an elderly man drove into a crowd of people in St. Petersburg (the lower part of the Pinellas county peninsula), and killed like 29 people (roughly). When the police questioned him, he said that he thought he was stepping on the brake pedal or something to that effect. I also remember riding with my Dad in St. Petersburg. We were just rolling up to a four way stop when another elderly man went through the stop at around 50 MPH in the typical old "tank" style caddies they all drive in. We looked at each other and had the same thought: "If we had left just 15-30 seconds sooner, we may not be here anymore!"

 

[Azz]

And the way to do this, without singling out a specific demographic, is to have regular driving tests (say 2 years) for EVERY driver/rider on the road.

This way, people who learnt to drive, then forgot everything, will either lose their license, or have to learn again.
And people that can no longer drive safely, will just lose their licence.

 

[jerdman89]

And the way to do this, without singling out a specific demographic, is to have regular driving tests (say 2 years) for EVERY driver/rider on the road.

This way, people who learnt to drive, then forgot everything, will either lose their license, or have to learn again.
And people that can no longer drive safely, will just lose their licence.

I've been saying this for the past 6 years and I've only been driving for 5.

 

[jerdman89]

last year a 90 year old lady in some kind of town car dont remember tried making a u turn in the middle of the road and turned right in front of my cousin in the oncoming lane. Ended up totaling my cousins cavalier. My cousin wasn't speeding the old lady just never looked. Everyone was fine just shook up a bit.