Driving is a Privilege and Privileges can be Taken Away

October 31, 2008

It is guaranteed that every day we can find some elderly people behind the wheel of a vehicle. The question is, should they be there?

It has come apparent that as we grow older we do three things like clockwork: 1. Shrink in size, 2. Drive slower and 3. Acquire a bigger vehicle. As it was for my grandfather too, it could take hours for an older person in their 80’s to get to point B from point A.

Some people we see driving can barely see over the steering wheel, and are moving at a pace of 5 mph in the slow lane on the highway. The next question is who allows these people to drive?

Prime example: earlier this year there was the elderly woman from Vestal who was going to the doctors and ended up missing. They eventually found her in Pennsylvania dead from an accident with the car. The family members had told the police that the woman had early Alzheimer’s.

So, no one thought that having this disease could possibly effect her driving? She wasn’t just “sick” she was elderly. Heck, sometimes I am headed to the grocery store and I forget where I am going too. AND I AM 23 YEARS OLD!

I think that everyone when they reach a certain age needs to go through a driving test every year. Then again, even drives young or old may have to be tested every year, because lately it seems that no one can drive or understand the rules of the road. Maybe we all think that once we get our license, it can not be taken away. News flash: driving is a privilege and privileges can be taken away.