Elderly Drivers
by My view on elderly people still driving and why something should be done about it.
I have many pet peeves. I get the most aggravated when it comes to other people’s poor driving. Nothing makes me madder than when someone is not paying attention while they are driving. They pull out right in front of you, causing you to slam on your brakes or swerve into the other lane to miss them. Once they pull out, they go entirely too slow. I am like, “Okay buddy, what was the rush?!”
I have a big problem with elderly people driving. Once you hit a certain age, you should be required to pass another vision, hearing, and driving test. Or better yet, after you get your license you should be required to take a test every ten years, or prior to renewing their license. As you age, your eye sight and hearing get worse. This makes it more difficult for them to see other vehicles, animals in the road, children playing a little too close to the road, hazardous road conditions, curves, etc. It also makes it more difficult to hear someone’s horn blow, a train, police sirens, or someone yelling for you to watch out. Your reaction time slows down with every passing year. You may see the deer in the road, but you can not react quick enough to apply the brake or swerve to miss it.
Elderly people tend to drive extremely slow. This is good for them, but dangerous when it comes to the other drivers. If someone is driving (even if they are driving the speed limit) and pop over a hill or around a curve, and there is someone driving very slowly, it can be easy for a collision to occur. There have been many times that I see an older person in a store or restaurant who is doing all they can do just to walk a halfway straight line. You hear them speak, and wonder if they have dementia or something, because it seems as if there is something wrong with them mentally. Then you see the same person who it was difficult for them to walk or talk get behind the wheel of a car. What is wrong with this picture?! They could not even walk a straight line, so how are they going to be able to drive a car without it reminding you of the bumper cars at the local fair or carnival?
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