This morning, a 75 year old woman in Atlanta Georgia created her own drive-through liquor store. Unfortunately, the liquor store in question already existed WITHOUT a drive-through.
This particular lady drove her white Mazda Miata through the front window when she failed to stop at the end of the parking lot. This is the second time she has crashed into this same liquor store. Sadly, a store employee was slightly injured, and more than 1,500 bottles of alcohol were mortally wounded.
So what's the first thing that pops into your head? - probably something relating to the diminished driving skills of the elderly, and how something should be done to keep them off our roads.
It's pretty typical, I suspect, for one to assume geriatrics shouldn't be allowed to drive. After all, driving is a privilege for those with the faculties to perform and, like it or not, our physical and mental faculties erode over time.
Researchers believe our intellectual peak occurs at 22, and erosion begins at 27. - unsettling news for those of us who are decades beyond those particular milestones. One's physical peak occurs between the ages of 28 and 33. Again, bad news for us geezers.
In 1900, geriatric drivers would have been of little concern, especially considering how few Americans owned cars back then. At the turn of the last century, the average life expectancy was 47 years, and only 4.1% of the population (a scant 3 million citizens) were over the age of 65. Today's a different story, though. Between medical advancements and peoples' natural desire to linger until the Chicago Cubs win a World Series, the average life span of an American has increased by more than 30 years, and senior citizens now account for nearly 13% of our nation's population (30 million people). That means there are a LOT of people out there who are oblivious to the fact that their turn signals have been on for the last two hours.
At the risk of committing ageism, there's probably sound cause for concern about elderly drivers. Several states in the Union share that concern. Illinois, for example, requires every 75 year old driver to take a road test to qualify for a renewed license. Between the ages of 81 and 86, drivers must be retested every other year. After 86, they must pass annual tests. Fifteen states share similar legislation.
Well, if the government says it's right, it must be right. Right? Right. Well, maybe ... sort of ...
Yes, the elderly tend to be quite wrinkly, but are they necessarily any worse behind the wheel than anyone else? Probably the best source to answer that sort of query is the insurance institute, since their clientele base their premiums on the statistical likelihood of accidents by various demographic groups (age, sex, profession, etc). According to those actuarial gurus, drivers over the age of 85 are statistically as likely to be in a fatal accident as a 16-19 year old driver.
Wait. What?!
Well, if that's true, then young people with fresh skills and cat-like reflexes are just as dangerous on the roads as decrepit, saggy people, and if that's true why don't these tykes have to take tests every year, also? Are you smelling the conspiracy???
Chances are, physical skills are only partially at fault for vehicle accidents. Stupidity probably plays a far greater role.
Today, everyone's abuzz about drivers texting and e-mailing and talking on cell phones while behind the wheel of their four-wheeled death machines. Certainly, these modern conveniences are the bane of responsible, attentive driving, but distracted drivers are not a new phenomenon.
For years, I spent several hours every day commuting to and from work. I've seen people reading the newspaper while driving, propping novels on their steering wheels, SHAVING (in one case, a guy was shaving his bald head ... with shaving cream and a straight razor), applying make-up, brushing teeth and, of course, eating and drinking. Back in the old days, we didn't need technology to distract us. We could rely solely on poor judgment. Kids today are soft and lack creativity.
Oh sure, there are some seniors who need to stop driving, but there are a lot of younger people who should be removed as well. What we should be doing is focusing on improving driving skills, and holding people accountable for their own stupidity - caught reading a romance novel at the wheel of your SUV? No more driving for you. - caught texting? Text yourself a cab, 'cause you're done.
The elderly lady in Georgia is a motoring menace, and shouldn't be driving anymore, but would you interpret the story differently if you learned she wasn't merely elderly, but was actually "sexting" as she pulled into the parking lot, and failed to watch where she was going? First of all, you probably threw up a little in your mouth just now, but then you probably realized that there are far worse things to be doing behind the wheel than aging.
There's a conspiracy against the elderly because they're an easy target. Let's test them, but then let's test everyone else as well, and then let's not just test to determine physical inabilities; let's also test for stupidity.
No comments:
Post a Comment