'S-plate' style restrictions to be placed on elderly drivers.

Santa · Guru

'S-plate' style restrictions to be placed on elderly drivers.

Tamey · Veteran Member

Your topic heading that "S" plates are to be placed on elderly drivers is not accurate as you have indicated in your post where you say that it is a suggestion only from an insurance company. The Victorian Government has stated it will not happen

Santa · Guru

Got your attention Tamey wink

Regardless, my first sentence made the situation clear that it was only a call from an insurance company "An insurance firm has called for older drivers to be given "S plates" in a bid to restrict the movements of elderly motorists." smile

Wombat 280 · Guru

In NSW Red P's stand for professional driver Ask any one driving with them displayed

The fault with elderly drivers in many cases shouldn't be behind the wheel at all. Doctors are to blame as well when they sign off on the RMS forms Then the RMS for issuing restricted licences for 10 k around town, starting the vehicle for some is a major feat in itself , the last couple of deaths have happened in their drive ways .

We need to look at better community transport arrangements for the elderly and infirmed especially in regional areas where public transport just doesn't exists .

I live in a country town on the East Coast and getting a bus into our nearest service centre is a mammoth task taking up to 2 hours to travel 22km's but after you track around all the bus stops it's 80+ Km's finally arriving with 5 passengers

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Drivers with heavy vehicle licenses (4.5T - MR and higher) are required to have annual medicals from the age of 70 years.
Drivers with car only licenses (including drivers of 6 ton plus car and caravan combinations) are not required to do that until they are 85 from memory.

Cheers,
Peter

Roving-Dutchy · Guru

Car drivers in NSW are require to have an annual medical and eyesight test from age 75 and driving tests after 85 can get a restricted license if don't undergo driving test which sets out the limit of their driving range for example 15k max from home can be negotiable according to needs such as distance to doctors etc.
Cheers
David

Spydermann · Senior Member

I went to a 100th last Saturday where the centenarian still has his licence. It costs him a small fortune to keep and his is tested annually. There are massive restrictions on where/when he can drive. An indication on his car would give people warning of his ability. Recently I saw a car being driven very slowly and carefully. It had a sticker "Disabled Driver" on the rear. Once other drivers saw that sign, everyone appeared more tolerant of the vehicle.

I do agree with an S plate, just as learners have an L plate. I always give learners a bit more tolerance because I've been there. P platers I just steer clear of. An S plate would indicate to me to give that person deserves little bit more tolerance, just as I do with L platers. Despite the fact that seniors say they are good drivers, many are not and just simply cannot keep up with the pace of life and traffic requirements.

I was lucky with my mum (89 at the time) convincing her that she shouldn't be driving, but some of her friends really did a big dummy spit when their family/doctor had their licence cancelled.

I was a victim of a person who should not have been driving. Was hit in an angle park when my car was less than 24 hours old. The old driver didn't even know he'd hit me. He'd taken out the left side of my car. He'd already had several accidents (minor hit & run with family and neighbours) that he didn't know about at the time and he finally lost his licence after hitting my car. He was about 5 years past his use-by date but no-one was brave enough to tell him.

Baz421 · Guru

It was suggested we also have:

A plates for arse holes

DH for Mr head

RR for road ragers

RH for know road hogs

O for over the hill so watch out.

A bit flippant so 2% ers and do gooders leave me alone please.

Spydermann · Senior Member

My rego starts with 1F I - one effing idiot as my kids say.

Desert Dweller · Guru

I reckon that a lot of people need CR plates on the back of their vans. They're always looking for a drive through site because they CAN'T REVERSE park!

TommyG · Senior Member

Peter, "Drivers with heavy vehicle licenses (4.5T - MR and higher) are required to have annual medicals from the age of 70 years."

I'm 76 and have a WA, HR R licence but have never been asked to take a medical for renewal.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

My late mother in law got her licence at 53, and to my mind was not a confident driver at all.

When she was in her 70's and still driving, my son was driving behind her, unknown to her, down the Nepean Highway in Chelsea, Victoria, it is a very busy road going through a shopping centre. He watched her turn right into a side street in front of cars that had just left the lights, even though they were going slow, they had to stop suddenly, horns blowing, lights flashing to avoid this little blue car.

He was horrified, thought he was going to lose his nana before his eyes! He came home, got his dad to drive him to nanas, they told her his car was broken down, could he borrow hers for a while to get to work. Of course, she said yes, him being her favourite.

He "borrowed" that car for the next year, when her licence had to be renewed - which it wasn't, due to eyesight - thank goodness. Most times that little car sat I the garage, until he took it to Darwin on a trailer behind his travelling bus. As far as we know, it is still there, in a friends back yard.

Not saying all older drivers are like that - hey I'm getting older myself, but I have been driving for nearly 50 years, so have experience, but I just thought this was a pertinent story - restrictions like only driving in a 10k radius are ridiculous - I know someone who was killed at the end of his street, and he was on a restricted area licence!

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

TommyG wrote:
Peter, "Drivers with heavy vehicle licenses (4.5T - MR and higher) are required to have annual medicals from the age of 70 years."
I'm 76 and have a WA, HR R licence but have never been asked to take a medical for renewal.

Certainly required from 70 in South Australia.

http://www.mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rul ... s-to-drive
Like many of these things, the rules vary from State to State.

Cheers,

Peter

Baz421 · Guru

Spydermann wrote:
My rego starts with 1F I - one effing idiot as my kids say.

and kids are always right???? or are they lol.

Love it. We look at plates as we go along too for messages.

The lady who was approving personalised plates in the NT in the early 90's was a devout Christian,,, many plates had to be cancelled as they appeared in public and found their way into the NT news.

The next person knew how to vet plates a bit better I can tell you.

Baz421 · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
I reckon that a lot of people need CR plates on the back of their vans. They're always looking for a drive through site because they CAN'T REVERSE park!

Love it DD.

Dunmowin · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
I reckon that a lot of people need CR plates on the back of their vans. They're always looking for a drive through site because they CAN'T REVERSE park!

Yup! that would be me (Mrs D) - and proud of it smile

Spydermann · Senior Member

CR. I just love those towns that have reverse angle parking. I was told recently it is normal in mining-company towns. Something about OH&S. I think it's a rather dangerous practice. Worse that parallel parking by backing in (which is the correct way when one gets their licence)..

mjt57 · Senior Member

Spydermann wrote:
My rego starts with 1F I - one effing idiot as my kids say.

Mine's 1FK...

mjt57 · Senior Member

jules47 wrote:
restrictions like only driving in a 10k radius are ridiculous - I know someone who was killed at the end of his street, and he was on a restricted area licence!

Isn't there a statistic that suggests that most 'accidents' are within 10 kays of home, anyway???

Joe50 · Guru

Spydermann wrote:
CR. I just love those towns that have reverse angle parking. I was told recently it is normal in mining-company towns. Something about OH&S. I think it's a rather dangerous practice. Worse that parallel parking by backing in (which is the correct way when one gets their licence)..

Surely it's more dangerous to reverse out of an angled parking spot into the path of oncoming traffic you can't see because your view is blocked by the vehicle parked on your left, usually a truck or a recent model 4WD/SUV. To me it's no different to reversing out of a 90 degree centre parking spot, which is illegal (in Qld anyway) unless there is a sign that indicates otherwise. I'd much rather reverse into a spot where I can see what's behind me at all times.

Joe