A couple of weeks ago a Lexus RX330 plowed into a fence in the parking lot of Fresh Street Market in West Vancouver.
The fault? A 90-year-old driver who reportedly mistook the accelerator for the brake.
Happily, no one was injured in this particular incident, though it does reinforce my personal belief that parking lots should all be treated like a D-Day invasion beach. Keep your eyes up and move, people, it's not just door dings being handed out.
The question that arises whenever something like this happens is what to do about older drivers? Should a nonagenarian really be behind the wheel, and if so, what restrictions should exist to prevent this sort of thing from happening? If driving is a privilege, not a right, then how far does that privilege extend?
To partially answer that question, pray accompany me to the hills above Portugal, where I am having my ass whupped by a wrinkly retiree. It's the launch of the Porsche GT4, a near-400 horsepower mid-engined track-day special, and I have just caught up to retired racing legend Walter Rohrl, who is near 70.
Walt's a friendly old chap, pleasant to chat with and affable. He looks in the mirror to see me bumbling along in his wake. His brake lights flicker once. Then he proceeds to dust me off like I was driving a Model T. Gone! If Herr Rohrl is over the hill, then he's literally over the hill and into the next valley and I'm stuck here several miles back.
The simple point is, while there is some correlation between age and things like reflex-speed and quality of vision, there's also a pretty broad spread of driving ability among seniors. There are those who shouldn't be behind the wheel, and those who are perfectly capable well into their late 80s and beyond.
In British Columbia, once you become an octogenarian, a medical examination is required (to be repeated every two years), to assess whether your physical condition might affect your ability to drive. If concerns are raised, then a cognitive test called DriveABLE is required, and if that is failed, then a road test is required. Our Lexus-smashing nonagenarian will likely go straight to road testing.
This is far from a perfect system, as it places something of an unfair onus on the family physician examining the patient. The decision to flag a patient for further testing isn't an easy one - for many seniors, taking away a driving license is taking away freedom, mobility, and quality of life. Yes, driving is a privilege, but as we age and become less physically capable, huge independence is provided by the ability to drive somewhere to keep an appointment, see a friend, handle the weekly shopping, or even just get out of the house.
Knowing this, it must be extremely stressful for seniors issued a requirement to face further testing. If you took your driving test more than a half-century ago, how fresh is your knowledge of the road going to be? Fortunately, there are some supports for seniors here, with mature driving classes to help refresh skills where needed.
Thus, I'd like to introduce mandatory track days for everyone over the age of 70. Porsches will be provided. Bring your own helmet, lovely warm, knitted cardigans optional. OK, that won't work, but we can improve the system, such that the driving needs of our seniors are supported, while at the same time keeping our roads safe.
One possible option might be the introduction of graduated licensing. There have been rumours before of mandating such a thing, but I would like to see this offered as an opt-in program, not based on age but on assessed driving ability. Instead of having your licence taken away because your night vision is no longer up to the task, you might be issued a day-driving license, or one for local roads and not highways, or other similar restrictions.
In Japan, drivers above the age of 75 are required to carry the koreisha mark on their car (or above the age of 70 if there's an infirmity). The idea behind the symbol is to alert other drivers as to the relative ability of the person behind the wheel.
Do you, upon encountering a slow-moving car wearing a red L-plate, tailgate, honk, and swerve around them? If so, kindly lay this paper down gently, and hit yourself very hard in the face. If you are unable to hit yourself in the face for any reason, kindly ask a bystander - I'm sure they'll be happy to assist.
If we encounter a novice driver on the road, we (hopefully) give them a little extra leeway. Where senior drivers are concerned, I'd like to see some similar non-mandatory way of passing along that message, and I'd like to see other drivers respecting it. If the badge means that the driver is older, then respect your elders and give them a little extra space.
The next thing we can do for our older drivers is create more opportunities for driver retraining. Yes, a test of physical skill and road knowledge should be applied - say, every five years from 75 and up - but it should be easy to find the help needed to pass that test. It shouldn't be a burden, but an opportunity to make sure your road skills are up to the mark.
For seniors worried about what the future might hold, there are a number of positive things to note. First, the proliferation of drivers' aids will help make driving a little easier. For instance, many cars now offer a pre-braking system which pre-charges the pedal - if you're a little slow to react and not quite as hard on the brakes as you should be, the car will still apply appropriate braking force and prevent a rear-ender. Semi-autonomous driving like this will extend the driving lives of seniors.
Lastly, the most important thing to do is calm down about the whole issue. The danger of senior drivers is one of those hot-button issues that everyone loves to complain about, "they should all be taken off the roads," that sort of thing. Yes, there are incidents such as our recent parking lot accident, but just look at how badly supposedly healthy drivers act. Next thing you know you've got some moron in an SUV trying to run over a flag person on the Lions Gate Bridge.
We will all be old someday, and we should imagine what that might best look like for all road-users. Personally, I want to grow up to be Walter.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and automotive enthusiast. If you have a suggestion for a column, or would be interested in having your car club featured, please contact him at [email protected]. Follow Brendan on Twitter: @brendan_mcaleer.
