We've all experienced it.. The little old lady driving the big Buick; her head barely above the top of the steering wheel. Being stuck behind an elderly person like this can surely be frustrating for an impatient driver like myself. Should people like this really be allowed behind the wheel? Perhaps people should have to re-take the driving test when they reach a certain age. Don't get me wrong. I realize that we should respect our elders and I do respect the fact that some of these people have probably been driving longer than I've been alive. However, I do also respect the power of an automobile and the damage it can cause if not driven properly.
One elderly man pulled over next to me last week to ask me for directions. He had to open his door and speak to me because he didn't know how to open his window. He was a nice old man but I kept thinking to myself 'My god.. If this man doesn't even know how to open the window of his own car, how can he be driving it on a main road?' Perhaps the only justification is that he is driving so slow that it may be hard for him to do any serious damage.
So although I don't want to disrespect these elderly drivers, I do feel that it may be time to recognize the risks they pose on the road. I'm not saying that a person should lose his/her driver's license when they reach a certain age but perhaps they should be forced to re-take a driving test to determine if special restrictions should be placed on their driving. Restrictions like not driving on main roads, only driving at certain times of day (never at night), or not driving those huge (hard to handle) cars. Restrictions like this could save someone's life.
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