Politics & Government

Should State Set Strict Rules for Elderly Driving?

Laws across the country vary as locals, politicians can't agree on when, if at all, a person becomes too old to drive.

When it comes to setting rules for elderly drivers, states are all over the map, a new report from the Associated Press showed on Monday.

The news organization, citing increased angst over older drives on the road, showed varying practices across the country. For example, while vision tests become even more important, states vary on what age they start demanding them more regularly. In states like Montana, drivers over 75 years old must renew their licenses every four years.

New York, however, does not have any special provisions for older drivers.

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The issue came into limelight after a near-deadly incident in August when a 100-year-old driver backed over a group of Los Angeles schoolchildren. A similar scenario played out on the local front when in May an 87-year-old woman died when she drove down a boat launch in Port Jefferson. Family members said the victim was suffering from macular degeneration, an eye disease that causes deteriorating vision.

Let us know, do you think the state should set up tougher provisions to monitor elderly drivers?

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