Later Life Talkback - 6
 Talkback is a regular
feature in laterlife.com run by journalist and author Helen Franks.
Welcome to talkback 6
Read Helen’s views and ideas, then add your own by
emailing her on helen@laterlife.com. Whatever
your opinion on the subject under discussion, Helen wants to hear it. And in due course a
selection of replies will feature in talkback.
If you would like to suggest future topics for talkback, please
email Helen with the details. And remember you can also start your own forum discussion
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| Hi, I’m Helen – your host on talkback. Like you,
I have fifty-plus interests which make for a varied lifestyle. Mine include a husband,
three grown-up children, two sons-in-law, four grandchildren and a father aged 97. I do
some charity work, enjoy walking in the country (hills, but not mountains), go to the gym,
attend yoga classes and a wonderful jazz dance class in which you forget the aerobic
effort as you exercise along to Old Blue Eyes. That’s as well as writing on health
issues. The novel will have to wait |
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| Talkback 6
DRIVING YOU CRAZY
 Recent British newspaper headline: ‘Elderly drivers face
safety tests’. They’re talking about all drivers over 70, so it’s coming
our way sooner or later. This is nothing new. In Italy and America older drivers get eye
tests every few years.
I’m not against eye tests for driving. But I can’t help suspecting a bit
of age discrimination here. Less than 4% of drivers involved in crashes where people are
injured are over 70. That’s due to the small numbers of elderly drivers, say the
people who gather these statistics. I’m terrible at maths, but to me it still means
that the vast majority of serious accidents involve people under 70 who on the whole drive
faster than their seniors.
However, tests with more than 600 motorists aged 50 –92 (not many of the latter
around surely?) revealed that older drivers may suffer from reduced neck flexibility, so
they can’t turn their heads easily which could affect their right turns. They also
may lack the strength to press foot pedals, have slower reflexes and suffer from night
glare.
 It looks grim for the oldies, but there are
other answers to this besides banning older drivers. In Florida, where lots of people are
over 70, they’ve enlarged the road signs. People of all ages suffer from night glare,
and glasses are available to counteract the problem. Reduced neck flexibility can respond
to treatment (and anyway how much do you need to look to the right?) And as for foot pedal
strength, car makers could surely think of alternatives.
What’s your experience of older drivers – yourself of others? How could other
drivers, traffic planners, car designers make things easier? Contact me helen@laterlife.com with
your ideas and opinions. |
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Helen would still like to hear your views
Talkback index - for other
topics in the series
Don't forget to take a look at Helen's Healthwise column too |
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