Campaign for elderly drivers to be retested
There has been a campaign for elderly drivers to face compulsory retesting. It comes after widower Ben Brooks-Dutton lost his wife Desreen when a retired man Geoffrey Lederman, aged 85, mounted a pavement and ran her over. The tragedy happened in Hampstead, in North London, in November 2012. The couple were walking home with their two year old son, Jackson when it happened.
Although Lederman was later jailed for 18 months, for causing death by dangerous driving, many have campaigned for larger action to prevent more instances of dangerous driving in elderly people.
Read the full article on
The Mirror.
5 tips for safe elderly driving
The following tips can be used like a checklist to see if you or a family member are driving safely. Try to be honest and objective about your own, or others driving abilities.
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Driving Speed - do they drive too fast or too slow for the speed of the road? Maybe they ignore (or misinterpret) street signs and even traffic lights.
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Speed of Response - do they respond slowly to pedestrians, other cars or cyclists on the road? Have they failed to give right of way when they were supposed to?
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Judgement Calls - can they judge distances between vehicles and are they able to stay within the road markings? Do they ask their passenger to help them check if the road is clear?
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Forgetful Moments - do they get lost repeatedly, especially in familiar areas? Have they ever forgotten to put their lights on in the dark?
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Physical Limitations - do they struggle to physically turn the steering wheel, or turn their neck to see what's coming along the road? Have difficulty at night or generally with their sight?
What do you think?
Do you think there should be compulsory driving tests for elderly drivers? Or do you feel that elderly drivers should not be made to revisit their driving tests, but left to keep their driving skills in check themselves.
You can tweet your thoughts to us
@Lifeline24
