Originally Posted by ahpook
This is what jumped out at me: "Sheriff's office has not released the name of the cyclist or the driver
a 91-year-old Portola Valley resident." (emphasis mine)
NINETY-ONE. DRIVING A GOLD CADILLAC. The driver who killed Altera founder Rodney Smith in May was 87.
NTSB stats show >70-year-olds have a higher accident rate than all other groups except teenagers (sources:
http://www.drdriving.org/elderly/ http://www.luhs.org/depts/injprev/Transprt/tran3.htm) -- this is one area where the problem of US car culture goes past absurdity and into pathology. I'm aware of the reasons why driving is so important to seniors -- a dear friend of mine is an ailing but fiercely independent 77-year-old who completely depends on his car to remain connected to the outside world. But I think at some point we as a society need to start providing alternatives to elderly solo driving and come down much more firmly to take the keys away.
++, my father-in-law is getting to the point where his ability to drive is impaired by dementia and host of other ailments. His eldest daughter wants him to stop driving himself but it's a tough fight to convince him, his wife, and several of her siblings of the right thing to do.
I'm a huge proponent of mandatory skills testing for drivers license renewal past the age of 60. I remember when you, at the very least, had to go to the DMV to take the written test for renewal. I've not done that in decades.