ABILITY, NOT AGE

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

ABILITY, NOT AGE
JEFFERSON CITY, MO. “ Missouri sets the example for the entire Nation”. So e-mails laura58@tm???. What Laura passed along to us was the fact that the MO Legislature in its great wisdom has passed a law which says the older driver’s right to continue driving is not to be determined by age. Driving ability and physical and mental competence is the rule for all ages. Prior to this law, and true still in other states, age was the informal criteria for saying an older person should no longer drive. Bills attempting to make this the law have failed in most places where it has been tried.

The true facts show a much different situation. There are many drivers in their late 70’s and into the 90’s that remain safe behind the wheel. As well, there are a bunch of younger drivers who are unsafe and need either reeducation or to be denied continued licensing. Yes, as a class, drivers over age 75 have many crashes. But the youngest, under age 19, drivers are even more dangerous. Usually the young drivers have alternate sources of transportation (buddies, mom and dad, etc) while the oldest motorists have to be more self-reliant.

Thus it is an extreme hardship to deny driving privileges except for those who are truly a menace to self and others. The goal should be to help older persons be independent as long as they are competent.

Missouri has provisions for qualified persons to report to the State, without recourse, drivers that ought to be given new tests for vision, knowledge of traffic rules, and behind the wheel ability to be safe. In most states the adult children must agonize over their parent’s reaction to their keys being taken away, the auto disabled, or being reported to the license bureau. Children have been disinherited for this. And medical professional have to worry that they will be sued for such reporting. Not so in MO where such reporting is confidential.
GHD211 all rights reserved

YOUR DRIVING WELLNESS SCORE

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

YOUR DRIVING WELLNESS SCORE
BLAND VILLA, GA: Thanks to Howard K. we are able to share with you one way of determining just how well you do drive. Please read these statements and give yourself one point for each one that is true for you:
¨ involved in many fender benders
¨ when looking straight ahead cannot see objects at road side
¨ concerned that your driving may cause severe personal injury to others or self
¨ often do not notice traffic signs or lights soon enough
¨ confused by the many things you must observe; children, dogs, cats, bicyclists, traffic lights, signs, curves, markings, weather conditions, trucks, etc.
¨ unable to see far enough ahead to avoid obstacles or slow down
¨ have much more anxiety whenever driving
¨ find that your mind wanders away from attention to being safe
¨ are distracted easily by the radio, passengers talking, grandchildren having loud fun
¨ very uncomfortable and unsure during left turns in traffic
¨ been charged with failure to yield
¨ cannot keep up speed with surrounding vehicles
¨ misjudge speed and distance of other vehicles
¨ it is difficult to turn your head enough to see behind when changing lanes or backing
¨ cannot find your way in places you used to know well
¨ your friends and family insist on their doing the driving, even with your auto
¨ frequently must brake heavily because suddenly an obstacle appears in front of you
¨ it hurts to work the pedals and you wait too long to move your feet
¨ you feel uncomfortable on multi-lane roads, especially in heavy traffic
Of the 20 danger situations how many “yes” marks are there? Too many to suit you (or your family)? What are you going to do to improve them? Any one of them can cause you life long grief. Reading this column regularly can help you but a safe driving class would help you even more.
GHD210 all rights reserved

YOU GOT PICTURE

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

YOU GOT PICTURE
COMMISKEY, IN: No longer does a law enforcement officer have to witness your running a red traffic light in many cities and towns. Jerry H. faxed us a newspaper article that reports that about the many automatic cameras installed now at dangerous USA intersections. These are ones where for unknown reasons motorists are most apt to try to beat the light or just plain ignore it.

The article goes on to say that the number of such photogenic crossings will double each year. The cameras are tripped automatically when a vehicle violates the red light. Captured on the film are the vehicle and its license plate number. Shortly thereafter the registered owner receives a summons by mail. What if the owner was not driving, maybe not even in the vehicle? I do not know if the court will accept that as reason to dismiss or if the owner is held legally liable for the sins of the borrower. The popularity of the camera (with the police and law abiding tax payers) includes the ability of the police force to use its time on more serious matters.
Still, there is controversy over these automated cops. The AAA is afraid that they will be used more to increase police department revenues than for pure safety reasons. Much like the speed traps are popular money sources in some towns. Civil-rights activists claim that such surveillance is an infringement of personal privacy. And chronic violators hate them.

Violation of stop lights is involved in more than 260,000 crashes a year. That is a 24 % increase from 1992 to now. Or to be necessarily morbid, over 800 killings and some 121,000 injuries of various degree occur annually at traffic light controlled intersections. In one city 5 months after installation of the cameras there was a 57 % reduction of red light violations.

See www.stopredlightrunning.com the national campaign to stop red light running for the latest state-by-state information.
GHD209 all rights reserved