Elderly Driver Plows Into Pedestrians, Injuring 27 (Connecticut)

NBC30.com (WVIT) ^ | UPDATED: 12:09 am EDT July 9, 2006 | WVIT Channel 30

[OmahaFields]

BTW, yesterday I was on a main thoroughfare in my town and some older lady stopped traffic in the middle of the road to ask a construction worker who was setting up cones around a manhole for directions. Just a related note.

I have had to dodge at least three people in the last two months on the highway. ALL were 30-something females talking on their cell phones.

[Merry]

"If nothing else, drivers should be re-tested on a regular basis once they reach the age of 60."

Does anyone think it's scary that you think people should be tested once they reach 60. Does that include President Bush who is running a country? How about the majority of people in Congress who are responsible for running our country?

[Old Professer]

Sorry for the missing letters in my posts; for whatever reason my keyboard feels right, but on rereading I notice that I'm missing the rest of the word.

Anyway, the truth is that we can't simply deny a right or privilege based on age or assumed infirmity nor can we expect the world to be made free of risk, I guess we must stumble forward as best we can.

[Alberta's Child]

Most of the people you've mentioned probably haven't driven on public roads in years.

And no, there's nothing "scary" about requiring people to undergo periodic road testing after they reach a certain age. There isn't a single human body function that doesn't decline over time, and you'd probably be shocked at just how poor your typical retiree functions by any measure (vision, motor skills, mental sharpness, etc.) compared to people in the 18-50 age group.

[Alberta's Child]

I've always wanted to die quietly and peacefully in my sleep, just like my grandfather did . . .

. . . unlike his passengers, who probably went to their deaths screaming in terror.

Heh-heh.

[Heatseeker]

Perhaps annual or bi-annual testing for those over a certain age. My dad is 82 and finally got called in by DMV for a test after a fender-bender. The driving test couldn't have been any more like "Titanic" if Winslet and DiCaprio had been necking in the back seat and there'd been an orchestra on the hood playing "Nearer my God to Thee". Yet many of his friends who are older undoubtedly drive better and have faster reaction times than I do.

However this is something the AARP crowd will fight to the end over, no matter how many of these incidents occur. Depriving someone of a driver's license is a blow to their independence. My dad lives out in the country for example; I've had to be the chauffeur ever since which he hates. But it's much better than having an accident.

[OmahaFields]

compared to people in the 18-50 age group.

That 18 year old may have better reflexes but he has a whole lot of hormones and almost no real-road experience. How many elderlies do you see wiping out at 100+ on a surburban street?

[OmahaFields]

It is a problem with no easy answer. I work with my mother. She has been a good driver all her life and wants to continue. Driving at night is a no-no. We work out her routes to avoid the bad areas. Make three right turns and a left at the light instead of having to make a left across fast moving traffic where there is no light. Shop at Kmart instead of Walmart since the parking lot is so empty!

[Musket]

Why is it that gas pedals only stick open in old peoples cars?

I've heard that what these people do is drive using both feet - left on the brake and right on the gas. Then when a split decision must be made they just plunge the wrong foot down. T'would be an easy mistake to make if you drive with both feet.

My brother recently told me he drives with both feet and I told him that's how those accidents occur and I think it freaked him out and he stopped doing it. At least I hope he stopped.

[Alberta's Child]

True -- an elderly driver is more likely to get involved in an accident at 100 feet per hour on a suburban street. But how many teenagers do you hear about getting involved in these accidents in which "the gas pedal gets stuck" and the car plows through the front window of a department store?

[Alberta's Child]

Interesting. I would have thought that younger drivers would be more likely to drive with both feet -- since most older drivers probably learned to drive cars with standard transmissions -- where you really CAN'T use two different feet for the gas and brake pedals.

[OmahaFields]

But how many teenagers do you hear about getting involved in these accidents in which "the gas pedal gets stuck" and the car plows through the front window of a department store?

Most of the teenage accidents are where the foot is stuck on stupid and they plow through a car killing all three occupants of the other car.

[Musket]

Maybe older drivers just get lazy? I don't know. You're right though, you don't ever hear about teens plowing into crowds. Beats me. I'm just passing along what I've heard - and it seems to make sense.;-)

[Heatseeker]

Believe me, I can sympathize, but I would not assume that these techniques are a permanent solution. Sooner or later there is going to be a situation where quick reaction time is required.

My dad was a great driver all his life, never had an accident that I can recall. It meant absolutely nothing in the end; he was playing russian roulette with his own neurology.

[OmahaFields]

[OmahaFields]

Believe me, I can sympathize, but I would not assume that these techniques are a permanent solution. Sooner or later there is going to be a situation where quick reaction time is required.

Yes. That is what I tell my mother. There are a lot of crazy bad drivers out there that will nail here at high speed and she no longer has the reflexes to avoid these dangerous drivers. It is really scarey what you see these out of control maniacs do.

[OmahaFields]

You're right though, you don't ever hear about teens plowing into crowds.

Drivers over the age of 75 have the highest accident rate per mile of any age group except for the 18 to 25.

[Gracey]

BTW, yesterday I was on a main thoroughfare in my town and some older lady stopped traffic in the middle of the road to ask a construction worker who was setting up cones around a manhole for directions. Just a related note

---

Probably a No Hable Ingles.

Also, I personally don't like age barriers for airline pilots or driving a car. Check the reactions of a person. That's what matters. A lot of people who use cell phones and put on makeup should not be driving, IMO.

[daybreakcoming]

ALL were 30-something females talking on their cell phones.

And I had to dodge a 40 something year old man yesterday who was talking on his cell phone. He never even knew he had almost caused a multi-car accident.

[rottndog]

Was it this old coot: