There are few issues that traditionally antagonize senior citizens more than proposals to begin age-based, mandatory driver retesting.
So, it was with some surprise that we read recent survey results saying more than 70 percent of older respondents to a University of Colorado School of Medicine survey favored the practice.
Is the tide of public opinion turning on this issue?
Given how the demographics in Colorado — and around the country — are skewing older and will continue to do so for decades to come, we think it’s time to revisit the issue.
An objective test of driving ability would serve not only to protect the older driver, but the general public.
Federal statistics show a significant uptick in crashes per vehicle mile traveled when drivers get above 75 years old.
That doesn’t of course mean that most drivers above that age should be presumed impaired. People age differently, but statistics clearly show overall increased risk.
The frequent counterargument is that accident rates among younger drivers are high as well. And yes, they are.
But there are a few key differences. Accident rates among teenagers and drivers in their early 20s can be ascribed to a lack of maturity and experience — conditions corrected by time and practice. But time and practice generally will not cure the deficiencies of the older driver whose reflexes and other abilities may be on the decline.
Furthermore, Colorado already has in place a variety of guardrails and rules specifically for the youngest drivers. They include incentives to take formal driving classes and restrictions on who may be in the car in the first months young drivers have their licenses.
As it stands, Colorado requires drivers older than 65 to submit to a vision test when renewing their credentials.
There also is a provision allowing close family members, law enforcement, the judiciary and medical personnel to request, with good reason, a closer examination of a person’s driving capabilities.
As Colorado ages, it is appropriate to take another look at the state’s requirements. Census figures show the proportion of state residents age 65 and older is expected to grow from 10.9 percent in 2010 to 16.5 percent in 2030.
Many states require vision tests for older drivers, and several have gone further. New Hampshire, for example, requires renewal applicants who are 75 and older to take a road test.
State officials cited in a Boston Globe story said the testing has screened out thousands of seniors with declining driving skills.
“The first two minutes of the test is tell-all,” said Jeff Oberdank, a licensing officer at the Manchester Division of Motor Vehicles who has administered tens of thousands of road tests over the years, in a 2009 article. “I absolutely think it makes a difference in keeping the roads safe.”
Should Colorado follow New Hampshire’s lead?
Few among us want to give up the independence that a driver’s license offers, but there comes a point when such a transition may become necessary for the safety of everyone on the roads.
