Elderly drivers 'a major concern', say Guernsey Police

The way elderly drivers are assessed in Guernsey could be changed after concerns raised by some recent crashes.

Guernsey Police's Traffic Sgt John Tostevin said he believed older drivers had become a major concern.

He said he was due to meet with the Environment Department, which licenses drivers, later this week to discuss the situation.

Traffic Sgt Tostevin said islanders had a responsibility to speak to older family members about driving safely.

He said: "If a member of the family is clearly getting too old or doesn't have the ability to drive safely don't be blinkered they could be the person that gets injured.

"If when you go for a drive [with them] you cringe talk about it and hopefully get them to agree to stop driving before an incident happens."
(from BBC)

So you think we're not quick enough to get out the way of all the maniacs charging around the Island, often down the middle of the road in their ruddy great Tonka wagons.

Perhaps EVERYONE should have a retest every 20 years to start .then 10 years then 5 years .
there are many elderly drivers who are not familiar with the cars of today. and are not fast enough on the brakes .. also with power steering ,this also make a difference .
but like anywhere there are good and bad in all.

Could be an extra stealth tax coming our way? should be an informal assessment for people over seventy. I'm already paying for a medical every five years for a HGV. I would feel sorry for the older people losing their licence and their Independence because of pure fear of resitting a test.

i do think all drivers should be retested at 70 years old..licences should only run for 2 years and then the need for retstting would be on a regular basis.i also think if very elderly drivers are involved in a serious accident like those seen here recently then they should be taken off the road immediately x

I have seen first hand the emotional and physiological affects of an elderly driver who ran straight into another car . The person who was hit i work with and has had some time of work for shock but it goes deeper than that he has had nightmares flash backs , he is still trying to get back behind the wheel , this and more is all because the other driver did not realize there was a junction there and ploughed into him , the driver was 89years old .

I don't say retest but a test on a simulator where there are different things to avoid test reaction time sight etc , if you fail you have your license revoked .

I was in the surgery on Friday a elderly woman came out from seeing her DR and took her script in then walked across the room looked up at the clock on the wall ( which is about 18" round ) had to go up to a foot of it to see it , then she walked out got in her car and drove off.WTF.
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As a driver approaching 70 yrs I would have no objection to taking a regular test.As for fear of taking a test?If your'e still competant then you should have no fear.