by bylili

Created on: November 01, 2009

The maximum driving age is a debate that has been around for a while. It is something that is going to have to be discussed seriously over the next decade as our population gets older, science and better living conditions see the average age get older for both men and women and our culture finds itself with more people in retirement. In many different countries this is a problem being faced in ever increasing numbers. Is there an age that we should decide that it is no longer safe to drive?

I believe that setting a maximum driving age cap is a difficult thing to do. Everyone is different as they age. There are a lot of contributing factors such as your genetic background, your lifestyle and other medical conditions that determine how well you remain active in your seventies, eighties and nineties. In some cases a persons cognitive abilities begin to fail early on. It might be their memory, balance or spacial abilities that begin to deteriorate. These things may impact heavily on their safety behind the wheel. In other cases a person stays mentally and physically healthy well into their senior years and are careful and confident drivers.

It is for these reasons that each case must be determined individually when considering if a person is safe to remain licensed to drive. From a certain age licenses must be reviewed in shorter time limits. We need to test drivers more frequently as they become older, testing their defensive driving, spacial skills, mental processing and behaviour on the road when driving. It should also be a case of including a doctors opinion of a persons health and wellbeing that is a determining factor. Also if a driver is involved in an accident that is their fault there should be a review of the factors behind the accident and consider if the driver should continue to drive.

When considering if their should be a maximum driving age it must be recognised that not all older drivers are unsafe at any one age. It cannot be a case of a blanket age as this would deprive some very safe drivers of their mobility and independence. It is important to test older drivers to determine if they are still safe to be behind the wheel. If it is determined that they are not safe then we need to be able to say so, for the sake of everyone on the road.

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