We will probably have debates about older drivers for as long as we use cars.
We know, from reams of research findings but also from our own conversations, how important a driver’s license is to older adults. It represents dignity and independence; it encourages social connections. Relinquishing it can bring on isolation, depression and perhaps even premature institutionalization.
Yet we also know that with physical or cognitive decline, some older drivers should simply no longer be on the road, endangering themselves and others.
Only about half the states have adopted any age-related provisions for license renewals, like shorter renewal periods, in-person renewal requirements or vision tests. In fact, some advocacy groups argue against restrictions based on age, promoting instead policies intended to weed out unsafe drivers of all ages.
As the back-and-forth continues, it is useful to look at an analysis recently published in The Gerontologist of years of crash data for drivers 66 and older in British Columbia.
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