Should Washington Have An Age Cap For Drivers?

I used to joke about seeing an elderly person behind the wheel, with their head barely being able to see over the dashboard.

"Who is driving? All I see are knuckles! I'm not messin' with a ghost car!"

Now that I'm not 18 anymore, I still laugh at that joke, but not as loud.

There are two ways to look at the argument of elderly people behind the wheel.

They need to be able to drive, and they need to keep their independence. Get to appointments, go shopping for groceries, see friends and family, and flat out LIVE THEIR LIVES!

The other way to look at it is as a safety concern. How are their skills, vision, hearing, and reaction time? Is it safe for them and the rest of the world when they're on the road?

When we were 16, getting that driver's license was our key to independence and to the world. Now, there are some who suggest that when a certain age comes, that key should be taken away.

Do you agree with this? Will you still agree when you are approaching that age?

Illinois is (as of this writing) the only state that requires seniors to take regular driving tests (we're talking nerve-racking written and behind the wheel tests). Right now, the age is 79, but lawmakers are looking to push the age back to 87.

When it comes to Washington State, we don't have a mandatory age where people have to re-take the tests, but after you enter the Department of Licensing, you are required to take a vision test, and after the age of 70, you are required to come in (instead of renewing online/mail).

This practice could change, though; bills have been put in play in recent years that would ask the DOL, Department of Health, and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (among others) to find a way to improve the safety of everyone on the road, especially elderly drivers.

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What do you think? Should there be an age cap in Washington? Should there be mandatory driver testing for the elderly? Take our poll as well as Tap the App and message us your thoughts.

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