that pensioners driving could be a danger on the roads

Wrecking a car is a rite of passage for some young males. One who had just passed his test and whose mother had bought him a car, hit two other cars, a wall and wrought iron gate on the street outside my house. While the police were on the scene, the boy's mate was sending pictures of the crash to other friends with the message, 'look what we've done'. I don't think any of us seniors would be so gung ho, do you?

Earlier today I heard some horror stories about the driving of a local lady by someone who was about to be driven by her. to a funeral at their church. We both know she should not still be driving but don't know how to report this anonymously.
Thankfully they did arrive back home safely after the funeral!

Around here I've seen so many people still using mobile phones whilst driving - just as dangerous some older people. You don't have to be a pensioner to be dangerous on the roads - some cyclists are a pain in the proverbial too! Bring back the beat bobbie I say!

All older cars, at least in the UK, have to pass the MOT each year so older cars should not inherently be any more dangerous than brand new ones. We have always driven old cars, we can list the cars we have owned that were less than 5 years old when we bought them, we have done it so rarely. Currently both our cars are over 10 years old, but that is not because we are old and cannot afford to replace them, but because we can afford to buy really good quality cars because we buy them old and drive them until they either become unreliable or catastrophically fail the MOT, when we scrap them.

We read our local paper every week and I would say that for every accident caused by an older driver there are ten or twenty caused by heedless young drivers, and they are certainly the cause of most of the fatal accidents.

We live out in the country and there's no public transport, so we depend on the car.
A few years ago husband had a series of accidents - he was really worried and went for various tests, they found nothing wrong. Since then he rarely drives, lost his confidence.
So it falls on me - I won't drive at night and get nervous on the occasions we have to go to Toulouse, to the airport or shopping - cars and lorries weaving in and out , changing lanes constantly. I soon won't have the nerve to do it.
In France your driving license is for life (unless you get 12 points and lose it.)
Another point is the quality of the car, state of brakes etc - elderly people often drive ancient cars.

In America research has shown that young people not older are much more likely to have accidents especially when they friends in their car.
However I think it is up to all of us to be responsible and refrain from driving when we know it is too much for us and , also, to take the keys away from our partners when it is too much for them. We have given our daughter permission to tell us when we should stop driving, just in case we haven't worked it out for ourselves. None of us want to give up our independence but at least we live on two bus routes.

The main problem is, that many people, and perhaps in particular men- find it very difficult to accept that they are no longer safe driving. It is perhaps one of the hardest thing to do, both the spouse and family, and for the GP- to persuade someone that they should give up driving. It is psychologically VERY difficult to accept this, as it is perhaps one of the biggest signs of losing independence.

I expect that since it appears to have started with Mumsnet they class 60yr olds in with 80+ yr olds!
I am in my early 60s and am perfectly safe driving. My mother gave up some years ago. I expect that I will have given up by my mother's age- but I have a long way to go yet!

OH is late 60s and me mid 60s- but this is not the age group being discussed here- is it? We all know many people who continued to drive when they really should not have. It took an accident for my mum. who just loved driving and had been driving from the age of 18- to stop. She was having regular mini-strokes and going blind- and should have stopped long before (she was about 85 when she stopped). It is not aobut age, per se- but fitness of body/eyes and mind that counts- surely.

I havn't driven for some years now and when DH was diagnosed with alzheimer's we were told that as long as I was happy being in the car with him he was ok to drive as long as we notified DVLA and his insurance company.We had a very hard think about it and I persuaded him to surrender his licence although it has made life difficult for us and at first he was not happy at all. However many months on he woild be a danger on the road and he knows it. We have a friend of a friend who still drives alone and often comes home without the car as he can't remember if he went out in it or where he parked it if he did. This is madness to me. He is 82 and also has mild dementia.

I have a friend of 62 who is a dreadful driver - but she's been a dreadful driver since she passed her test at 19! It was a wonder to me that she passed 1st time! I've just done a 70 mile trip today, and the worst drivers were lads in hot hatches, overtaking lorries with just feet to spare. I think that many older people who are bad drivers always have been. As to the night driving, i used to take a chap some 30 years younger than me if we had to go on business to the south coast - well over 200 miles - and it astounded me that he wouldn't dream of doing that trip without an overnight stay. So, again, some older drivers bad, some younger drivers also bad!

Mollie a niqab hides most wrinkles (bar around the eyes, but you could team it with sunglasses) also works on a bad hair day.

We've just been out and about and followed a particularly slow driver up to a traffic lights where we ended up beside him in the other lane. I noticed we was wearing a hat AND the string gloves but........no seat belt!

To be honest, wearing a hat while driving a car... well, it goes with stringback gloves and a steering wheel cover in puce velvet...

But it is the lure of the Panama that signals the onset of premature senility!

I have fought it off so far... but with difficulty.

No worries about the Fedoras as long as you aren't being v signed by young drivers, or shouted at through the passenger seat window. If that happens you may consider different head gear

Oh dear, I have 2 fedoras = does that count

@Falconburg - It is a well-known fact that as a man ages he will experience a strange desire to buy a Panama titfer... this should be resisted at all costs...

We have an XTrail car (for towing) and inherited my mum's little Peugeot 107 (70 mph!). I really notice the difference in the attitude of other drivers according to which car I'm in. I get much more respect when I'm driving the XTrail. Except at school leaving off time - I've been shouted at in the XTrail for being a pushy mum! (I wasn't pushing anywhere - stationery at the time trying to let him through) I thanked the offender!

More tricky "for the ladies. "

I'm grey but don't drive, but maybe if the driver is grey haired, a blonde rinse or a wig

However, I don't think the young chaps would be so aggressive towards a woman driver. Could be wrong.

falconbird
any suggestions for making a female driver appear younger - a wig, a pink car, a tattoo?

Some years ago my DH was experiencing a lot of horn tooting and comments from some young drivers.

His driving seemed fine and I eventually came up with an idea. DH had taken to wearing a Panama Hat and I suggested he replace it with baseball cap. This worked like a dream.

I think the Panama Hat was causing younger drivers to see him as an "old foggie."

My husband is 71. He didn`t drive from July 2013 until last summer, because of illness and operations, but eventually got back behind the wheel. At first I was nervous, but then realised he was OK driving. But over the last 3 months or so his driving has become rather erratic. Both myself and all our children now think that he should give up driving, but he doesn`t agree. I think that there should be more of a check when drivers renew their licences at 70, not just going off their own statements of ability.

My childrens' father (my ex) was knocked over last week by an 89 year old lady who shot out of a junction knocking off his bike. He was lucky he was not injured more than he was. He felt sorry for her and police were not called and no further action apart from insurances swapped etc. I do think he should have reported the collision as, even at 89, she really needs to be brought to task.

I'm 68 and DH, who is always very critical, recently told me how much better my driving is lately. I've never had great night vision so I don't drive much after dark. I do make a point of continuing to drive on motorways and negotiating tricky junctions because I think that once I give up on them I shall turn into one of those old ladies who plan their journeys round never making a right turn.

I am 61 drive every day for work and drive a 300 mile round trip about once a month to visit my daughter. I'm fine driving in the day and feel confident in my abilities but only drive short distances at night now as I do feel my night vision is not as good as it used to be. I always make sure I do the journey to my daughters both ways in the daylight hours.