Currently, drivers can renew their licences by mail. If you're a 30-year-old working mother or 40-year-old traveling businessman, this makes perfect sense. But what about those 80- and 90-year-olds who we've all witnessed swerving as they try and keep their eyes on the road? True, there are some perfectly competent elderly drivers. However, many have poor vision, dangerously slow reaction times, and poor hearing, among many other things, that could endanger tham and other drivers.
I began thinking about this today because of an article in The Dallas Morning News about how Texas legislators are trying to push vision testing for 79-year-olds and a driving test for those who need it at some point. It would make more sense to have not only a vision test at 79, but a driving test as well. Maybe even a little younger. While this may seem intrusive to the elderly, it could really help to reduce their roadside blunders and dangerous outcomes. An elderly person may not even realize that he or she shouldn't be behind the wheel until someone from the outside points it out. Vision isn't a test of cognitive skill, and it takes cognitive skill to drive safely.
