Graduated licensing proposed for seniors
Last week Friday a friend and I pulled into a restaurant’s parking lot. The car in the spot in front of us was parked haphazardly. It was straddling the lines at the side and at the back. Seemingly, the driver had some problems navigating the space.
While we were getting out, the driver exited the car. It was an elderly woman. she was almost doubled over in half and my friend and I exchanged glances. We both were having the same thoughts. ”She should not be driving!” It wasn’t her age or her physical setbacks. We made a call based on what we saw.
On our lunch, we both conversed on the reasons why there should be a Graduated Licensing System. There are elderly men and women who are great drivers but on the flipside, there are many who are suffering from age-related deterioration in their abilities to operate a vehicle. Their pride makes them cling to this last vestige of their independence. An elderly woman that my mom once worked with admitted that her ability to drive was so diminished that she would usually follow the car ahead of her. Thankfully, she gave up her license before something terrible took place.
With Graduated Licensing, seniors who pose a threat to other motorists and themselves would be weeded out from those who are still able to drive and recognize traffic rules. This would also remove this unenviable task from the family. Have you Tried taking a senior’s Driver’s License?
So I greeted news of the proposal of such a system in Canada with eager anticipation. Read story here. Any system that could reduce injuries and lost of lives is ok with me.
Related articles
- New rules for licensing young drivers aim to reduce number of road deaths (calgaryherald.com)
- CMAJ editorial calls for graduated licences for seniors (cbc.ca)
- In Defense of Older Drivers (businessweek.com)
