Elderly drivers

Submitted: Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:20
ThreadID: 100753 Views:3159 Replies:9 FollowUps:9
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Few month back there was long and fruitless thread about elderly drivers.

You can read this if you want :
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/mother-and-child-injured-in-carpark-mishap-20130225-2f1g8.html
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Reply By: SDG - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:41

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:41
I don't think it is so much elderly drivers who are solely to blame. It is drivers who no longer have all their facalities. Admitadely this mostly occurs in elderly drivers, but their are many drivers out there who are younger who should not be driving.

Elderly drivers just make the news. I bet you did not hear about the mid 30year old person here that has MS and drove through his garage door. He thought he was in reverse, but obviously not whe he accelerated. He had kids argueing in the back seat as well.
Medical assessments might need to be bought in at an earlier age for some people.
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Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:42

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:42
So are you going to post links to news article of vehicle crashes involving young drivers?
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Reply By: Dennis Ellery - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:50

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 17:50
What is this supposed to prove?
You can see numerous accidents involving younger drivers each day – just watch the evening news.
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Reply By: Ross M - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 19:18

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 19:18
KSV
Danger is everywhere and knowing how to recognize the danger is something nearly all people aren't taught. You have to learn it yourself.
It is unfortunate the woman and her child were in between the car and the wall at the critical time.
In a similar situation I check to see if the person is beginning a driving task and I won't walk between the car and something else if the engine is running. Risk is too high.
People hear engines around them all the time in car parks and become oblivious to the danger. Therein lies the potential problem.

Awareness and abilities are required by all. If you are more aware then you are less likely to place yourself in danger, it all depends if you recognize the danger. In this case danger was there.
Ross M
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 20:11

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 20:11
Ross, makes some very good sense in what he has said. I also won't walk between, stand in front of or back of any vehicle that has the engine running.

We had a 10metre exclusion zone where you couldn't enter until the operator lowered everything to the ground, shutdown the engine and then signaled you to enter.


If you look at the pains mines go to to eliminate this, we would all realise the dangers involved. I lost a good mate this way when he was crushed between a light vehicle and a machine.

RA.


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Reply By: Member Andys Adventures - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 20:19

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 20:19
My local Coles car park has had 4 deaths in 3 years from drivers not having the car in the right gear. 3 went through the chemist window. I now park outside and walk in through the side door.
Andy

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Follow Up By: landseka - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 11:19

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 11:19
Glad to see you now park "outside" not inside through the window...lol
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 20:47

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 20:47
This graph from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says a lot:
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Follow Up By: KSV - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 07:11

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 07:11
This is an exceptional chart that prove everything. Thanks a lot for finding and posting. In my books old grey ladies are worse enemies, may be only MAMILs could take crown.

Point is not that ALL driver after certain age have to give up licenses - some people in their 60, 70 and 80 can do many things better then much younger one. Point is - there are two groups of high risk drivers extremely young and extremely old (older appears to be even worse). There are plenty of things going on trying to minimize road trauma caused by young drivers, but nothing, absolutely nothing happens when it came to older ones. I always been advocating, I am advocating and I always will be - after certain age, say 65, all driver must past medical examination to be able to continue driving. Period. And those who not fit enough should be given special consideration and special rules, like not drive above certain speed, not drive in peak hours, not driving manuals, display "S" for "senior" while driving and similar measures.

FWIW - I ride a bike and passed 40-44 years group quite a while ago.
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Follow Up By: brushmarx - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 10:33

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 10:33
This graph indicates driver fatalities, and certainly looks like being young or old has increased risks, but is there a similar graph that has "driver at fault" fatalities?
How many drivers on the above graph were killed by mid aged drivers erring?
It also separates males, females, and persons.
Is it safe to assume that "persons" is a politically correct term for gays, transgenders, etc? If so, for a limited ratio of the population, they really suck at driving.
I'll get there someday, or die wanting to.

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Follow Up By: Best Off Road - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 11:24

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 11:24
Great graph. Lack of experience and lack of faculties are the killers. Pretty simple fix 1. train young drivers and 2. test old drivers.
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 14:55

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 14:55
How do they know the different kilometres travelled by different age groups? I think there would be a great deal of guessing in the figures behind the graph.
Kevin
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Follow Up By: mikehzz - Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013 at 06:34

Wednesday, Feb 27, 2013 at 06:34
Persons are the combined average of males and females. That graph indicates to me that young people are reckless and inexperienced and old people are fragile.
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Reply By: pop2jocem - Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 21:42

Monday, Feb 25, 2013 at 21:42
Hi KSV,

So now you want to start another long and fruitless thread????? (:-))

Safe travels
Pop
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Follow Up By: Rockape - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 10:41

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 10:41
Pop,
my orange tree has fruit on it.
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Follow Up By: pop2jocem - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 13:12

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 13:12
Hi RA,

Yeah, my mandarin trees are having quite a good season. Maybe both of us are using lots of manure. Bit like this thread. (:-0)
Who said that?????

Naughty Pop
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Reply By: Best Off Road - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 11:27

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 11:27
There is no doubt in my mind that our ability diminishes with age. I'm 51 and I recognise the decline in my reflexes, eyesight and overall skill in general. Accordingly I have completed one driver training session and in just over a week will be doing an advanced course.
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Reply By: Ron N - Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 22:12

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 at 22:12
Meet Rafe Snader. He's 100 this week, and still drives himself everywhere in his late model Mazda 3 - that he bought when he was 95 - and he only bought it because the salesman promised him he'd get a good 15 yrs out of it!


http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/16218582/centenarian-who-still-loves-to-jive/


This old bloke has visited us (drove himself here) - and I wouldn't have any problems being driven around by him. He's sharp as a tack, doesn't waffle when he talks, is upright and spritely - and is living proof that age doesn't mean you have to vegetate.


Part of the "aged driver" problem is that some people deteriorate very quickly at a relatively early age.
Docs are right onto the problem when they see it happening, and will report aged drivers as being in need of assessment.
However, some people whose driving skills have deteriorated, don't visit docs regularly enough and slip under the radar. These are the ones we have to worry about.


It's simple enough. If you have a senior relly whose driving/attention/mobility skills are deteriorating to a worrying level - get them assessed by their doc, promptly, to ensure they don't "slip through the net".


The different states have different regulations as regards aged drivers, that is where another anomaly lies. Victoria has no regulations for testing aged drivers after a certain age - other states have, and they vary from age 80 to 85, and vary in requirements after the aged driving test is carried out.


I believe everyone over retirement age should have a quick annual medical checkup to catch any conditions that might be affecting driving skills.


Most older drivers reduce the amount and timing of their driving to levels where they know they can cope. However, deterioration in eyesight & hearing, and muscle stiffness (particularly neck muscles) all play a significant part in reducing driving abilities.


We can all play our part in reducing aged driver problems by going for a drive with older rellies when we think they might be getting a bit suss behind the wheel.
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