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EU wants over 70s to prove they can still drive every five years (www.brusselstimes.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The European Union wants elderly people (70+) to undergo medical tests from now on to prove that they are still capable of driving a car every five years. However, the proposal has been met with a lot of criticism.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is there evidence that elder people cause more accidents than younger? I only find opposite data, e.g. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37292951

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

There is a difference why these accidents happen. Young people cause accidents because they are more often risky drivers. Older people more often cause accidents because their cognitive abilities decrease with age.

With driving tests you can reduce the number of accidents for the latter but not the former.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

For sure older drivers must indirectly cause accidents too. They pull out too slowly in front of people, they don't move with the flow of traffic which causes slowdowns, and they swerve into other lanes without turn signals. None of these may cause accidents with them, but can cause other people to end up in accidents because of the unpredictability.

I fully support more frequent tests for people whose cognition is declining.

I actually also support more frequent tests for everybody because there are a lot of people who should NOT be allowed to drive just because they're so bad and/or dangerous. Driving is a privilege, not a right, which comes with very serious consequences when done poorly.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not sure I agree with both parts of your premise, there. Young drivers can pass their tests, and then on the first day that they have their license, go out in some Lamborghini supercar unsupervised on the motorway, finances allowing. It encourages a 'I have this bit of plastic, I'm as good as anyone' mentality; together with the general impetuosity of youth, you get the risky, accident-causing behaviour.

Compare that to a motorbike license - pass driving theory and CBT, and then a practical test, and you get the bog-standard licence to ride a chicken-chaser moped. You can then work your way up the licences, with minimum age requirements and time for holding each, until you have access to the big bikes, finances allowing. Make car drivers do the same, that'll cut down on the risky behaviour and the scale of the accidents that they could cause.

Admittedly, about the shittiest car that you can buy now will still do a hundred miles an hour, so you'd need some artificial limitations on power and which roads you can use..

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1056066/how-to-get-a-motorcycle-licence.pdf