Striking a balance
It was commonplace just a few years ago that news stories sought to point the finger at state DMVs when asking the question, "How old is too old to drive?"
So now it's time to look at how that question has recently changed to read, "How to prevent older drivers from crashes" and "Seniors face hurdles with driving law" and "Katie's law protects all drivers, family says."
For someone who has spent the last ten years educating the public via the media about the issues surrounding aging and driving, it is astonishing to see how this discussion has evolved from pointing a finger and recommending strict age-based road and knowledge testing, to focusing on the facts and developing safe transportation solutions for all.
One thing that has changed is that science is now involved. So, the proof is truly in the pudding. Study results, published in the Journal of American Medicine, have shown that renewing a driver's license in person does have a positive effect on reducing crashes involving older drivers. But the verdict is still out on exactly what constitutes the best practice in evaluating someone's physical and cognitive ability to drive a motor vehicle.
Second, the largest boomer-focused lobby group (ahem, AARP) recently sought to "strike a balance" between highway safety and aging and supported state legislation (Katie's Law) directed at older drivers. This legislation requires that drivers 79 and over must now appear in person in a motor vehicle office to renew their driver's license. And they are required to take a vision test. But drivers 85 and older will need to renew their licenses every two years, instead of every six years.
It's good to see this discussion evolving to the policy makers, and with decisions based on science and with the support of AARP.
Until next time, stay safe behind the wheel.
Jason D. King
VP, Public Relations and Info. Serv.
AAMVA
jking@aamva.org
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So now it's time to look at how that question has recently changed to read, "How to prevent older drivers from crashes" and "Seniors face hurdles with driving law" and "Katie's law protects all drivers, family says."
For someone who has spent the last ten years educating the public via the media about the issues surrounding aging and driving, it is astonishing to see how this discussion has evolved from pointing a finger and recommending strict age-based road and knowledge testing, to focusing on the facts and developing safe transportation solutions for all.
One thing that has changed is that science is now involved. So, the proof is truly in the pudding. Study results, published in the Journal of American Medicine, have shown that renewing a driver's license in person does have a positive effect on reducing crashes involving older drivers. But the verdict is still out on exactly what constitutes the best practice in evaluating someone's physical and cognitive ability to drive a motor vehicle.
Second, the largest boomer-focused lobby group (ahem, AARP) recently sought to "strike a balance" between highway safety and aging and supported state legislation (Katie's Law) directed at older drivers. This legislation requires that drivers 79 and over must now appear in person in a motor vehicle office to renew their driver's license. And they are required to take a vision test. But drivers 85 and older will need to renew their licenses every two years, instead of every six years.
It's good to see this discussion evolving to the policy makers, and with decisions based on science and with the support of AARP.
Until next time, stay safe behind the wheel.
Jason D. King
VP, Public Relations and Info. Serv.
AAMVA
jking@aamva.org
<a href="http://technorati.com/tag/AARP" rel="tag"><img style="border:0;vertical-align:middle;margin-left:.4em" src="http://static.technorati.com/static/img/pub/icon-utag-16x13.png?tag=AARP" alt=" " />AARP</a>
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