“Driving Age”

(From the CA DMV website) – “Did You Know that there are more than 5.5
million drivers over the age of 55 in California? More than 2.5 million
are 70 or older.”

This is a very, very touchy subject at my house, but a concern for everyone who has a driver license. “At what age should driving privileges be revoked?” or more important, should the driving privileges of an elderly person ever be revoked? That’s certainly a ‘loaded’ question, and that’s our topic today.

Regardless of what the elder tells you, the consensus is that over 70 (I picked that age) a driver’s ability to react swiftly, accurately and without hesitation diminishes drastically. That almost goes without saying, but I feel it needs to be stated and re-stated. At a certain age, and that age could be different for all elderly people, their ability to be “safe” on the road becomes a concern for us all.

My Dad was a terrible driver in the 70’s, so trust me when I say that he hasn’t gotten any better, and in fact, I worry every time he gets behind the wheel of his car. (We’re going to leave his choice of cars for a different topic.)

My Dad has a valid Arizona Driver License, but not a valid California Driver License. He simply could not pass the behind-the-wheel test at our local DMV office, but of course he says it’s because they’re “out to get him.” My Dad thinks everyone’s ‘out to get him,’ from the DMV to the corner mini-mart. That translates into difficult and argumentative conversations, but those are for later, too.

So I gently remind Dad that he has 10 days in CA to get a valid DL if he’s a resident. He moved from NM to AZ to CA once my Mom died in 2004. He’s been in CA for almost 2 years, but still drives on the AZ license, which I might add, doesn’t expire until he’s 96! What is that state thinking? No wonder when their residents come to CA we’re forever honking and telling them to get the hell out of the way. I think AZ lets their residents drive until they die behind the wheel (kidding, just kidding).

The CA DMV has great resources for the “Senior Driver” that are available here. If you’re in another state I encourage you to search your local Department of Motor Vehicles for specific Senior Driver information, or send a comment or e-mail and I’ll try to find it for you. Remember to tell me what state I’m searching for.

Please don’t misunderstand me; I’m not saying that all ‘elderly’ people should give up their driving. My Dad firmly believes it’s his right to drive, and I believe he has to earn the right to drive in this state. That’s why there are rules, regulations, laws and testing to be sure that any individual, regardless of their age, is capable of doing just that. All of us on the roadways have the right to be safe, so that 90 year old in the next lane, going 25 on I10, needs to pass the same tests I do, and maybe even more. I don’t know about you, but I want to be absolutely certain, or as certain as I can be, that all elderly have undergone the same testing requirements as I have, or whatever each state deems necessary in order to ensure they are still “capable” of driving at that age.