a sad day in LA today

[WednesdaysChild]

I think farm kids should/could get special permission to drive younger, but only if it's farm equipment and on and around the farm. If I saw a farm kid driving his mom's station wagon around a Friday night with his/her buddies, then that's a different story!, The way I'm thinking about the farm kids, is like the way you can work for a family business if you're under age 15. My brother and I worked for our family business and got paid for it and it was okay with the government because it was family owned. We weren't taken advantage of or anything, we were just helping on our school vacations.

[gypsysara]

My heart goes out to everyone ~ dontlookdown, Im glad you were OK.

[Livia]

It is very tragic - and further supports my argument that elderly folks should have to be re-tested to keep their driver's license...Glad you're okay...

[gypsysara]

Ironically I was at the DMV yesterday, one which was in a town where there is a large populus of elderly people. I saw quite a few people, I felt, looked too physically out of shape to drive (osteoporosis, etc.). While they may be sharp as a tack mentally, their physical self is just aging. I also saw cases vice/versa, where they seemed fit but mentally "off". I was once hit when I was PG with my daughter, the man was very old. His son later asked me if he seemed "confused" due to medicines. I was all "uh coulda killed me and my unborn! Get him off the road!". IMHO they need to toughen regulations to at least provide more frequent testing (and road testing) upon your older years. I myself would agree for public safety.

[flyfirefly]

I'm almost afraid the fact that he was 80-something is going to take away from some other theories. Not all elderly people are bad drivers. My 90 yr old great-grandmother still drives (albeit short distances) with no problems, though she did get hit a few years ago by a younger...Idiot.

One of the theories is that the man probably didn't realize the market was going on and went to press the brake and accidently pressed the gas. On the news they quoted him as saying that he couldn't stop the car. There are only a few inches separating the brake and gas and I had an accident myself where that was the case. Thus, his age wouldn't necessarily be the issue.

[sarahw]

Unfortunately there are few options for the senior population who no longer drive. Many don't have family to take them anywhere, and services for seniors are lacking. Who wants to wait 2 hours for a van to pick you up at the grocery store or doctor's office? This is the first suburban generation who have had cars for most of their lives. It is difficult to give up that independence.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for retesting and quite honestly I am frequently infuriated by elderly drivers, but they really have no other options. I should know, I work with them. You would be surprised how many children or grandchildren have no time to take their family member to church or to get some basic food items.

I think it was a horrible accident and that poor man has to live with that guilt.

If everyone took a good look at their own family, cleared up a couple of hours a week to drive elderly relatives on errands and such it would be a step in the right direction. I used to take my Grandmother to the beauty parlor and shopping and I loved it. Yes it was a pain sometimes, but overall I cherish what I was able to do for her.

I know this isn't the forum for this, but with a MS in Gerontology sometimes I can go overboard.....

[WednesdaysChild]

Sarahw--MS in Gerontology? Where'd you get yours from? My friend has her BA or BS in gero. from Quinnipiac...too funny since you don't hear about too many gero. majors, lol. She's a Mac fan too

[sarahw]

unfortunately at the college of new rochelle......not a very challenging program....