Driving Tests, re-taking at regular intervals?

60+ lol ...come on, I can see what you are saying and I would actually advocate this to an extent, but your execution is unrealistic and over the top I think. I do think that people over a certain age should perhaps have to prove they are competent drivers still, but I would say 75 would be more appropriate than 60, hell that's before retirement age even ...not practical and too young, especially with our ageing population.

Also I think bi-annually is way to much, more like at 75, then again at 80 and then every 2 years after that. After all a lot of people do start to deteriorate after 80 quite rapidly, a lot can change in 2 years at that age.
 
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semi-pro waster said:
If you're going to implement re-tests for people who are 60+ (and it's not a bad idea necessarily) then why not also make it apply for all drivers irrespective of age e.g. you must take a re-test every 10 years or maybe even every 5, it's not going to prevent all bad drivers but I suspect it would weed out a significant number.
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i agree

it would force us to stop our bad habits and weed out those who didnt feel confident at anything above 40mph and cant look where there going etc..

not just 60 + i say everybody.


Plough the money that is currently spent on speed cameras into that, and watch as people loose their licenses left right and centre and spend a fortune re-taking their tests as it takes them months to get out of their bad habits.
 
for me, i know my observation is poor, i dont check my mirrors as much as i should

Agreed that wheel shuffling is a pointless exercise.
 
Sorry, just realised I said biannual in my OP, I meant biennial, I'll edit it now. I agree a test evey 6 months would be a little over the top!

So would a majority of you be in favour of more testing for all using the road?

Obviously a less stringent test than your first, more of a refreshers course and making sure you are still road aware, aware of what your own vehicle is doing regardless of the way you input the controls as long as it's safe.
 
Dogbreath said:
How about mandatory bi-monthly retesting for young scrotes who terrorise housing estates?
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How about just make the test a bit more difficult and "real-world" (Reversing around the corner into a side road? Really? :rolleyes: ) so they have less chance of getting a license in the first place? ;)
 
MrLOL said:
for me, i know my observation is poor, i dont check my mirrors as much as i should

Agreed that wheel shuffling is a pointless exercise.
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Try riding a bike, once you have ridden out on the roads and seen how the lack of mirror checking can cause you near death experiances you will be checking yours constantly. I think anyone who has ridden a bike is a better motorist due to there constant road awareness and better vision for potential hazards.
 
Statistically young males are the most likely to cause accidents, surely if anyone these are the people who should be having bi-annual re-tests?

Or biennial or whatever..
 
godinman said:
Statistically young males are the most likely to cause accidents, surely if anyone these are the people who should be having bi-annual re-tests?

Or biennial or whatever..
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Actually, young males are most likely to make insurance claims. It's a small but important difference...
 
godinman said:
Statistically young males are the most likely to cause accidents, surely if anyone these are the people who should be having bi-annual re-tests?

Or biennial or whatever..
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Cant deny that, i had several accidents in my younger days but none of them were endangering other lives other than my own. All part of the steep learning curve known as life! I feel i am a better driver for it though, u learn when ur vehicle is on the limit and not over! :D
 
I'd be very happy if compulsary retests were introduced, probably every 5 years with a months grace period to get a retest if you failed. Fail again and you need to wait 6 months before trying again. This would be coupled with a one month grace period for those with foreign licenses to get a british one, yearly tests for retired poeple (whatever their age) and very harsh penalties for those caught driving without a valid license. I'd also only allow three attempts to gain a license in the first place.

All these measures would reduce congestion, improve public transport and reduce emmisions :p
 
Gribs said:
I'd be very happy if compulsary retests were introduced, probably every 5 years with a months grace period to get a retest if you failed. Fail again and you need to wait 6 months before trying again. This would be coupled with a one month grace period for those with foreign licenses to get a british one, yearly tests for retired poeple (whatever their age) and very harsh penalties for those caught driving without a valid license. I'd also only allow three attempts to gain a license in the first place.

All these measures would reduce congestion, improve public transport and reduce emmisions :p
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As well as destroying the economy due to the complete lack of alternatives for the vast majority when it comes to driving...

With economic sense like that you could be the next Gordon Brown :D
 
Dolph said:
Getting rid of the speed kills campaign and enforcing more against careless, dangerous and just plain old bad driving would be much preferred in my eyes and likely much more successful.
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This is needed, i don't see why 80 on a motorway is dangerous, however some looney chav in his gti tearing around housing estates etc. is. Saw a great example of terrible driving yesterday. I went round a corner (not terribly quickly as i had just come out of another) and someone was reversing out of their drive. No problem with that the problem was it took them an eternity to get out, took a couple attempts, when she finally got the car out on the road she got on the bloody phone!!! :mad:

Dolph said:
As well as destroying the economy due to the complete lack of alternatives for the vast majority when it comes to driving...

With economic sense like that you could be the next Gordon Brown :D
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Completely agree, regular re-tests would cripple the country due to the amount of people that need to drive. I kind of understand why maybe older people might need to be re-tested, my grandad is a prime example, his spatial awareness is becoming worse, he'll do 50 on a motor way and his reaction time is dropping badly. Perhaps not a full test just to check they're are still physically capable of driving. Or maybe a refresher course or something where you can't fail. This all costs money so nothing will change.
 
godinman said:
You'll have to explain the difference to me as I can't see it..
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The difference is the type of accident each group has, and a few other factors.

http://www.trafficaccidentadvice.co.uk/are-women-worse-drivers-than-men.html

Women are statistically more likely to have an accident, but men are massively more likely to have a dangerous or high speed accident. Many minor accidents (parking dings etc) never get reported to the insurance company because they are cheaper to repair outside it. By contrast, men frequently have no choice because they have less accidents, but larger accidents.

There are other confounding variables involved, such as large differences in the number of miles driven on average by men and women, and so on.
 
I love this thread, it reads like old people and women are responsible for 90% of all bad driving and are causing massive numbers of crashes yet the satistics don't back this up at all. Old people shouldn't have to resit a driving test they should how ever require a a certificate stating they are medically fit to drive. Nobody drives in the manner required to pass a driving test for more than about 5 minutes after they leave the test centre so expecting people 40 odd years later to go back and drive in the way is totally unrealistic.
 
I think a re-test should be enforced upon anyone caught doing 60 in the fast lane of a dual carriageway, or anyone spotted doing 40 on a NSL road for 10 miles, then arriving at a town with a 30 limit and just carrying on at 40.

If they don't even know what speed they are supposed to be going they are probably ignorant of other equally important things.
 
Im 20 and I like to say im a good driver. Ive driven a motorbike since I was 16 so I learnt very quickly the roads can kill and there somewhere you dont mess about. I got knocked off my moped by a car pulling out of a side road which makes you apreciate there are idiots out there. During my time on the road I have 4 years NCB on the bike and 3 years NCB in the car. Ive had 2 close calls with mobile speed cameras on both vehicles. I have mates who hoon around all night and Ive never seen the popularity in doing this but on a straight clear road ill admit I enjoy abit of the right foot. My argument is that I need my car for my job and if it breaks or I lose my license my job would be sevearly affected.

I think for the 60+ people there should be a compulsary couple of hours with a driving instructor to sharpen your skills, like a CBT. Young people should be sent to do a cut down test if they get 3 points within 1 year.

It was only last week i caught a girl who I know in my village who hasnt passed her test drive out of a side road infront of me on her own. Its those kinds of drivers we need to stop. The uninsured and untaxed.
 
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