Unsafe elderly driver - how to protect the public

AirCooledHeaven

This is a difficult situation. My mother was the same, still driving at 72 and a total liability, I was terrified every time she insisted in going out in the car, not only for her safety but for everyone elses.

One thing to bear in mind is that elderly drivers tend to drive slowly, so if he does have an accident it is less likely to be so serious, although old people injure easily.

You could also consider that in the scheme of things he is probably less of a danger than a newly qualified 17 year old racing around in a vauxhall corsa.

I think you will have to grin and bear it...

aqueoushumour01

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

You could also consider that in the scheme of things he is probably less of a danger than a newly qualified 17 year old racing around in a vauxhall corsa.

I wouldn't entirely agree with that. Slow doesn't necessarily mean safe. Often on my way home people are trying to join a dual carridge way from a slip road at 40mph and while they may be safe, I or others behind them are likely to get a car already on the road doing 60/70 mph going into the back of our cars. Slow drivers, which a lot of old people are, can actually increase the risk of the road.

AirCooledHeaven

aqueoushumour01 wrote: »

I wouldn't entirely agree with that. Slow doesn't necessarily mean safe. Often on my way home people are trying to join a dual carridge way from a slip road at 40mph and while they may be safe, I or others behind them are likely to get a car already on the road doing 60/70 mph going into the back of our cars. Slow drivers, which a lot of old people are, can actually increase the risk of the road.

I didn't say slow meant safe, I meant generally slower means lesser impact. But I agree with you, people trying to merge into a dual carriageway at 40 are a complete liability, young and old alike. Those doing it when entering a motorway are even worse.

aqueoushumour01

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

I didn't say slow meant safe, I meant generally slower means lesser impact. But I agree with you, people trying to merge into a dual carriageway at 40 are a complete liability, young and old alike. Those doing it when entering a motorway are even worse.

tell me about it - that's my pet hate on my way home!

hezza86

Couldn't just read and run,
This is a difficult situation and as other say it even though they drive slowly it doesnt neccessarily (sp?) mean they wont cause an accident,
I'll draw your attention to something that has just happened the other day in edinburgh in a supermarket carpark, a woman carrying a 3yr old child was run over and killed,(child was soemhow ok) she was run over by an elderly lady reversing out of a space.
so you can imagine how slowly she must of been going and she didnt realise she had hit anyone and just kept going.
Its a tragic accident but an example of what can happen.
I know i have nothing constructive to offer but hope you are somehow able to stop him from driving.

Shoshannah

My first car was written off in an accident which was not my fault (I was waiting to turn right and another car came into the back of me). I was 20, the driver at fault was in his 80's. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be much you can do in this situation and I sympathise, it must be difficult to tell your own father he cannot drive.

I can't even bear to think about what will happen when I have to stop driving one day (suspect government and/or petrol supplies will put an end to my driving career before old age does though :rolleyes::rotfl:).

In an ideal world he would see for himself that he cannot drive safely and choose not to drive, but sadly it may take an accident for this to happen. My grandad only gave up driving once he crashed into the back of someone (fortunately only minor injuries for everyone involved, although it was my dad's car so he wasn't best pleased lol). On the other hand, my boyfriend's grandad chose to stop driving once he reached a certain age because he was aware that his reaction times were slow and didn't want to have an accident.

Depends on the person, many are in denial, others are not.

I hope you get it resolved.

vaio

p00hsticks wrote: »

No advice, I'm afraid, but you have my sympathy.

I suspect that this is going to become more and more of an issue as we see more and more elderly people who have been used to driving all their lives and are reluctant to 'give up their freedom' despite the fact that they are becoming a danger to others.

Insurance companies used to just quote car insurance premiums for 'under 21', '21-25' and 'over 25' year old. However, we're starting to see increased premiums for elderly age bands as actuaries determine that in fact the elderly are only slightly less likely to be in an accident than the young....

I’m 50+ and insure a group twenty car, cost was £300, added 55yo OH, price dropped by £20, added 75yo Dad, price went up to £700.

Think that makes it nice and clear what the insurance companies think of old drivers and fast cars although his own little hatch only costs him £100 to insure so it looks like it’s the driver/car they particularly don’t like.

On the other hand oldies tend to cover low mileages and drive irritatingly slowly

jeannieblue

Shoshannah wrote: »

My first car was written off in an accident which was not my fault (I was waiting to turn right and another car came into the back of me). I was 20, the driver at fault was in his 80's. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be much you can do in this situation and I sympathise, it must be difficult to tell your own father he cannot drive.

I can't even bear to think about what will happen when I have to stop driving one day (suspect government and/or petrol supplies will put an end to my driving career before old age does though :rolleyes::rotfl:).

In an ideal world he would see for himself that he cannot drive safely and choose not to drive, but sadly it may take an accident for this to happen. My grandad only gave up driving once he crashed into the back of someone (fortunately only minor injuries for everyone involved, although it was my dad's car so he wasn't best pleased lol). On the other hand, my boyfriend's grandad chose to stop driving once he reached a certain age because he was aware that his reaction times were slow and didn't want to have an accident.

Depends on the person, many are in denial, others are not.

I hope you get it resolved.

Very observant and well put!

I'm at the grumpy old woman stage and loving it - tho I'm not that old, just a tad Jeremy Clarksonish.......

My father - who we lost a couple of years back - did get to a stage where we suggested that we would drive. But he loved his independence and said he intended to still be dancing when he was ninety. He succeeded in that! He did gradually stop driving, but I think that was because we never told him to or didn't directly suggest it, more like, oh I'm going there too, I'll drive... If we had, think he may have dug his heels in.

It all depends on the person. Bit like a teenager, try using reverse psychology!!

gilbert_and_sullivan

How's about giving the old fella a chance.

Maybe if he wants driving lessons to polish his act up it would be good to find an older instructor with a similar outlook..ie that life isn't just waiting for the inevitable.

Trouble with the young is that they think they know everything, i suppose all that seem overly concerned here are perfect drivers that regularly cover 50K miles a year incident free for the last 20 years?

Pema

There is medical information re driving on the DVLA website in the form of a pamphlet for GPs. It is called "At a glance guide to the current medical standards of fitness to drive". It's quite technical but useful. As a new user I am not allowed to post links... It's through the medical rules for drivers section. there's also a "Customer Service guide for drivers with medical conditions" in the same section. It's hard to find out info on their site which is poorly laid out in my opinion.
Mind you I know a number of families who solved the problem by "losing" the car keys or indeed in one instance, the car.