"This is pure age discrimination. They cannot provide any evidence or figures to show that drivers aged 70 and over would be more often involved in accidents."

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.

  • Max_Power@feddit.deEnglish
    11·
    2 years ago

    Very good. As a german, I’d welcome this.

    However, expect heavy pushback from the German automotive industry. They are for Germany what the NRA and weapons manufacturer lobby is to the US.

    • LemmyLefty@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      I agree, especially since medical tests won’t show the driver slowing down as they enter a roundabout or taking a full minute to shift lanes or positioning themselves so they can’t even look in the rearview mirror.

      A ton of driving is about behaviors and tendencies. A driver that has no awareness of other drivers is a dangerous driver, regardless of how good their heart, eyes, or reaction time. Dementia obviously affects this, but you can get a clean bill of health from your doctor and then drive off home in the left lane at 5 below the speed limit because other people are just going too damn fast.

  • Jomn@lemmy.mlEnglish
    2·
    2 years ago

    This would be great. We should also require all drivers to pass small exams every ~10 years in order to assert that they are up to date with new laws and new types of infrastructure.

  • Chaotic Entropy@feddit.ukEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    There’s a pretty serious concern here about the mobility and independence of the elderly… but that can’t be put over and above public safety. I see either very anxious and hesitant, or completely off with the fairies and uncaring elderly drivers on a frequent basis.

    They wouldn’t get anywhere near a licence if they had to demonstrate their competence even once more, let alone semi-regularly.

    • ChrystalBlurbs@feddit.deEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      Mobility for the eldery IS important but IMHO there should be affordable, easy accessible options without the use of a personal vehicle. Otherwise it get’s harder and harder for the eldery to participate in social activities which are beneficiary to mental health and prevent early symptoms of Alzheimers disease.

  • 雨 月@feddit.deEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    Good Idea. It’s widely accepted that cognitive capabilities can decline rapidly with old age. It simply makes no sense that a person that needs 8 tries and 10 minutes to change the station on their TV is still allowed to operate a two ton death machine without any checks in place.

    The important part here is to make it so that it ONLY “catches” declined driving capabilities and is not also biased in terms of social and financial status or maybe if you’re an immigrant or something.

  • Loui@feddit.deEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    If they would do that we would finally get a strong lobby for decent public transport!

  • CifrareVerba@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    Not in the UK myself, but I am not opposed to this. I think it was last year that I heard about someone who was unable to see people 20+ feet in front of him and how he either killed a person. Link

    I would hope that this gets adopted anywhere in the world for those who experience what happens with age + those who have severe vision problems to ensure the safety of pedestrians.

      • MatFi@lemmy.thias.xyzEnglish
        1·
        2 years ago

        Well random age limits are all over. For Voting, Working, optainig the driver license, drinking, being out late, You name it.

    • JesusChrist@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      That seems expensive to enforce. It would make more sense for people to be tested every 10 years till age 68, every 5 years till age 78, then every two years after that.

    • Atomic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      It shouldn’t. That’s a monumental administrative task. My gov can barley keep up with issuing passports. Imagine having to reissue drivers licenses with a check up every 2 years for everyone…

    • ElmarsonTheThird@feddit.deEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      The german satire party DIE PARTEI wanted to implement a highest voting age. If you can’t vote the first 18 years of your life, you shouldn’t be able to vote the final 18 years.

      • Simbomba@feddit.deEnglish
        1·
        2 years ago

        I seriously hoped it would have been implemented The older folks seem to ruin germany more the older they get

      • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        11·
        2 years ago

        I’ve been saying the same thing for years. We should revoke voting status 18y from whatever the national average lifespan. That’ll never happen, though.

        • nudny ekscentryk@szmer.infoEnglish
          1·
          2 years ago

          Well insurance companies have all the models necessary for that. It’s actually called actuary and it’s a field of mathematics.

          Or, average national lifespan

            • brainrein@feddit.deEnglish
              20·
              2 years ago

              That is true. We like the Monty Pythons more than anyone else does, we adore them! But we would never diminish this feeling by laughing about their jokes. Instead we do argue for hours about the philosophical implications of a silly walk.