Exactly what I was thinking. Cheap and objective relatively speaking.

My dad recently witnessed an old dear fail to stop at a red light on a pelican crossing. The lady hit a push chair sending 2 children and the mother flying. Fortunately everyone was ok and when the old dear realised this she said I can't wait around I have a dentist appointment to get to! My dad stopped her until the police arrived and he gave a statement, the officer said more than likely she'll just end up on a course similar to the speed awareness (cant remember exactly what its called).
Now surely if it was someone like myself (a male under 30) I wouldnt get off so lightly and would probably end up with a ban!

Surely if you are involved in an accident and fail to recognise the seriousness of it you should be dealt with accordingly regardless of age!

This is something that is very close to my heart....

December 23rd 2011, I was traveling to one of our offices in Bristol on my motorbike, following an M3 on a dual carriage way.

A 90+ year old gent in a fiesta, went to cross the carriage way (at a crossing point) when the M3 was around two seconds from impact. I missed the first impact between the two cars, but the fiesta was spun toward me and I went in at about 40 mph.

I received a broken shoulder, wrist, 5 ribs, punctured lung, severed ACL within the knee, serious liver laceration, kidney and adrenal gland damage.

I spent Christmas in intensive care, but worse than that, spent the immediate time after the crash not knowing if I was to see my family again (inc young kids), as I was not knocked out...

Unfortunately the elderly man didn't make it. (The M3 was written off).

The elderly man pulled up to the junction, stopped and then not seeing the M3 or me (with lights on) pulled out right into our path. Age has to be the main factor here.

Speaking to the police, the crash investigator said it is getting worse and worse out there, in terms of incidents of poor driving linked to age.

So thats my story, I'm alive, but I would be interested in campaigning for this law to be brought into force.... It nearly wrecked my life (I will be somewhat damaged for good from this), that of my family and of course that of the deceased also... I think if the authorities had of tested him, they may have saved us all from this..

Chris Bates

I can't begin to imagine how the DSA system would cope with the sheer number of people requiring a re-test if this was the course of action decided upon.

However, I see no reason why a 5 yearly medical for drivers over the age of 50 to determine fitness to drive would not work. I have to do this as a C+E licence holder (HGV), and I would think it reasonably easy to extend this to all drivers.

Completely agree. There needs to be much tougher rules on OAP's. My gran is driving and is now 92. She is having more frequent moments, pretty much wrote her car off a couple of months ago with an another moment as she calls them.....we have tried reasoning with her, but she is adament she is safe. We disagree but the other side of the family, who live locally back her up. Her local doctor said she was fine so we have no case to answer....but for how long will she be safe? Will her next incident kill her, or worse still some poor unsuspecting sole?


World is a mad made place with regulations for just about everything, apart from strict stuff on things that can kill you!

"So what do you think? Mandatory courses sound like a good idea? Or does the government need to go further still?"

Couldn't agree more. My mother suffered from Alzheimer’s and she so nearly killed several other road users driving around roundabouts the wrong way, pulling out on oncoming traffic without batting an eyelid. Its sad but it needs doing.


How to tell when it's time to hang up the car keys

There will come a day when you, and I, are those 'doddering old biddies'. I hope that no one to carry political favour tries to take our right away.

To anyone who is feeling that older drivers should be forcibly removed from the road, I hope that you one day have your license removed for the very excuse you are saying are 'valid reasons'.

If you don't like old people on the road? Take the train. Simple as that.

After a certain age people should be made to take a course to deem if they meet the current standards that new drivers have to, to pass a test.

I have had a few near misses, the latest of which was very nearly being run down whilst on my bike this weekend, she old lady cut me up so close she hit the kerb in front of me... she does now have a nice dent in the rear as I kicked it.

I have also been witness whilst following my friends granmother who reversed back round a roundabout because hse missed her turn off and didn't think anything wrong with it when I asked her what she was thinking...

Some old people are okay to drive, but the ones that can barely walk up steps or open a jar of pickles shouldn't be allowed to drive for everyones safety.

Absolutely. And If i'm not fit to drive, can't or won't regulate myself, then I would expect society to do it for me...

if I'm venturing out on to the road without the capabilities to drive safely, I would value my life and that of others more greatly than the perceived freedom the car gives me. (Drink/drug driving argument could be used to the same effect here)

I used the term "doddering old biddies" not to be offensive, but the term as used by other posters gives an impression of harmless individuals going about their business. Actually you put a person without enough of their faculties to drive sensibly behind the wheel and their is nothing "doddering" about them.

This line of getting people off the road who are not able/wont drive safely goes for all parts of society, but this thread was about OAP's and I have had a very bad experience at the hands of one of them.

I don't like the train.... its full of old people