Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

What with all of the baby boomers in their 60s now and still driving, I am almost terrified to drive sometimes!!!!

Anyone else nervous that elderly people AND BABY BOOMERS WHO ARE GETTING OLDER are on the roads?

Not that they are the only ones to look out for, but I see some real moves from them, and they are completely oblivious that they just ran a red light or stop sign.....that terrifies me.....

Separating "elderly" and Baby Boomers, but grouping for example.....

To spell it out.......my point is NOT that baby boomers are elderly, but that such a HUGE population of people IS GETTING OLDER AND THIS WILL BECOME A PROBLEM......

Message edited 7/21/2008 1:58:42 PM.

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

well my parents are in their 60's and drive fine.


If they were in their late 70-90's then maybe.

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

I really believe this is a bad problem, not sure How to handle it!!! My grandmother who is 78 has been in 3 accidents so far ( she lives with my uncle) all of them were her fault, she doesnt know if the light was red or green and now she is complaining to my dad that my uncle wont get her a car, she said she feels trapped, but I told my dad that they absolutely cannot allow her to drive, besides hurting herself, she is a danger to others!!!!! I also see this behavior all over my neighborhood, its scary and sad

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

I'm more afraid of teenagers driving than baby boomers, but I'll admit that the examples posted are scary!

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

I truly don't consider people in their 60's elderly - my mom would b1tch slap you if she heard you say that.

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

I am more nervous, to be honest with you, about the unbelievable increase in teenaged driving accidents.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

60's? No.

80's? YES.

There are so many people here in FL over 80 on the road. They feel like they can do whatever they want on the road whether it be stopping in the middle of a lane, getting over at the last minute and stopping short, making a U-turn and not even making sure it's clear to go, driving 15mph in a 45mph zone, driving in the left lane on 95 going 45mph. The list goes on. I'm dreading the "snow birds" coming back soon.

Re: ANyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Just because your dad terrifies you behind the wheel does not mean that all people in their 60's drive like that and are certainly, imo, not elderly. I'm much more concerned about other types of distracted and young/inexperienced drivers.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

I am more terrified by younger less experienced drivers that think they "got it covered" with the texting/cell phone use etc.

I am nearly run over almost daily by people rolling through the 4 way stop on my corner. Maybe 5% are older drivers - older meaning they look older then my 68 year old mother. The majority are what appear to be men in their 20s and 30s.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

OK, because it's necessary, I clarified in the OP......

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

yea. still no.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

i'll say it... my grandmother, who'll be 87 in October should NOT be driving!! She acts and looks like she's early 70's, but she drives like a LUNATIC! and not a slow lunatic.. she whips around turns, tail gates.. it's a PROBLEM. My mom and her brothers keep saying it's time for her to give up her car, but she says it's "her independance... and how else will be get to the pool for water aerobics every day?"

I will say she doesn't drive after dusk though..

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

My mother is 62 and it scares me that she drives. I won't get in a car with her and neither will my sister. She is oblivious and it's obvious that her vision is not what it used to be. She's crashed her car 2x in the past year. First one she backed out of the driveway and hit the neighbor behind her who was backing out at the same time. The second one, she pulled into a parking spot and well, I can't really explain why but she hit a big truck. She blamed the truck by saying it was too tall???

I'm also concerned about these baby boomers in 15-20 years. My Grandfather was legally blind and he still drove!!! My father and his brother's had to take his car away. This next generation of older people are even mroe independant and it will be harder for them to stop driving.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

An 85 year old man last week pulled out of a parking space and had a huge pole in his car and the said pole crashed through my BFF window of her SUV The guy just backed up and drove away going like 20 MPH. 7 different people in the parking lot got his plate # and waited for the cops with her because they couldn't believe he did that and just left. He told the police he thought it was the curb

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Honestly, crappy drivers do not fall into one specific age category. I've seen moms driving excursions who don't realize they can't straddle lanes. I've seen teenagers who think speed limits are suggestions. I've seen elederly who neglect to look in their rear view mirror to see if there is a line of cars behind them that would like to go over 22 mph. I've seen men who think I like *anal* driving. God knows what they expect in the bedroom.


Mandatory re-tests...age is no protection for idiots!


ETA: 60!!!! 60 isn't elderly! It's..ahem..mature!

Message edited 7/21/2008 2:14:33 PM.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

Absolutely, it worries me. It is the family's responsibility to intervene, talk to the person and set their head straight about what is, and is not feasible anymore when it comes to driving. Unfortunately, too many people are too afraid, or uncomfortable, to broach this topic with their elderly family.

The minute I saw that my father couldn't handle driving on his own anymore, I intervened. I sat him down and told him it was unsafe and impractical. Thankfully he didn't put up a fight and handed over his car and the keys to me.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

100 percent yes. I am terrified.

Having had both of my parents involved in multiple car accidents/fender benders/whatever you want to call them in their 60s AND their 70s, I would fully support re-testing of a certain age group.

I think we would be foolish if we didn't think that Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia only involves the MUCH older elderly. I saw two vital people, with incredible reaction time, deteriorate and lose their ability to drive safely and make on-the-spot judgments while behind the wheels.

There are environmental factors that can lead to debilitating conditions and they start early. All it takes is one accident to kill someone. We literally had to tell my mother that unless she wanted to lose her house after a law suit in which she hit and killed someone, that she would have to stop driving. And if she DID drive and we found out about it, we threatened not to visit her. Tough love, but there were no more accidents. Her aide drove for her.

I have also known and heard of people with neuropathy in their fingers and feet due to diabetes who cannot grip a wheel or feel their feet on a brake pedal or accelerator and it can cause crashes as well.

I may sound harsh, but I certainly won't mind being re-tested if that is required of me when the time comes. I could never forgive myself if I caused harm to someone.

Yeah I know that more younger people get into accidents, but that is why their premiums are higher. Try raising the premium on a senior citizen and there would be a revolution.

Re: Anyone getting nervous about the increasing number of elderly people still driving?

i think when people are getting in the early 70's and still driving---it can scare me because i can see how they are not being as careful and their reflexes are not as fast as they should be.

i almost got side swiped the other day by a lady who HAD to be in her late 70's -- barely could see over her steering wheel in her big boat of a car--and she went into the left turning lane to turn into a shopping center and i guess realized it wasn't the one she wanted and immediately (without looking) jerked her wheel to the right to get back in the lane and i had to act fast to not get hit!!!