Maryland loosens up on the older driver proplem
[B' Spokes: Let's see we have the Allstate report that shows Baltimore (the only MD city in the report) with the second highest frequency of car crashes. Maryland has the 8th highest pedestrian fatality rate, 8th highest in percentage of fatalities that are bike/ped and MVA in a cost saving measure is renewing licences every eight years instead of every five. To MVA's credit the did increase the number of questions from 20 to 30 but still is far short of the 100 I would like to see, not to mention the quality of those questions could stand some improvement as well. I really think the MVA needs to up it's traffic safety programs and not downgrade to save them money but makes it more costly for the residents of Maryland in property damage, the quality of life, as well as the loss of life.]
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Older drivers face confusing array of license laws
By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer
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Thirty states plus the District of Columbia have some sort of older-age requirement for driver's licenses, ranging from more vision testing to making seniors renew their licenses more frequently than younger people. At what age? That's literally all over the map. Maryland starts eye exams at 40. Shorter license renewals kick in anywhere from age 59 in Georgia to 85 in Texas.
The issue attracted new attention when a 100-year-old driver backed over a group of schoolchildren in Los Angeles late last month. That's a rarity, but with an imminent surge in senior drivers, the federal government is proposing that all states take steps to address what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration calls "the real and growing problem of older driver safety."
Here's the conundrum: "Birthdays don't kill. Health conditions do," said Joseph Coughlin, head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AgeLab, which develops technologies to help older people stay active.
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Measure by miles driven, however, and the crash rate of older drivers begins to climb in the 70s, with a sharper jump at age 80, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Only teens and 20-somethings do worse.
That rising risk reflects the challenge for families as they try to help older loved ones stay safe but still get around for as long as possible, which itself is important for health.
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Among the most strict rules: Illinois requires a road test to check driving skills with every license renewal starting at age 75 — and starting at age 81, those renewals are required every two years instead of every four. At 87, Illinois drivers must renew annually.
In Washington, D.C., starting at age 70, drivers must bring a doctor's certification that they're still OK to drive every time they renew their license.
New Mexico requires annual renewals at 75.
Geographic variability makes little sense, said Jake Nelson, AAA's director of traffic safety advocacy and research. "Either I'm safe to drive or I'm not. Where I live shouldn't matter," he said.
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This summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed a national guideline for older driver safety that, if finalized, would push states to become more consistent. Among the recommendations: Every state needs a program to improve older driver safety; doctors should be protected from lawsuits if they report a possibly unsafe driver; and driver's licenses should be renewed in person after a certain age, tailored to each state's crash data.
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On the other side is the family of a Baltimore college student who died last year after being run over by an 83-year-old driver who turned into his bike lane. Maryland next month begins issuing licenses that last longer — eight years instead of five — despite an emotional appeal from the mother of Nathan Krasnopoler that that's too long for the oldest drivers.
"You should be looking at your drivers to be sure they're able to safely drive. There's plenty of research that as we age, things do change and we may not be aware of those changes," said Susan Cohen, who now is urging Maryland officials to study adding some form of competency screening, in addition to the required eye exams, to license renewals.
"Do we have to lose a 20-year-old with an incredible future ahead of him in order to determine that this particular driver shouldn't be driving?" she asked.
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Today, AAA's Nelson said in-person renewals are "the single most effective thing states can do to improve safety."
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How long between renewals is best? There's no scientific consensus, but Nelson recommends every four to six years. [And Maryland just went from five to eight years. :/ ]
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