Blazier 1

Jacob Blazier 1/31/14 English 255 Dr. Braun Retesting Drivers at Age 7 !he to"ic # chose to $rite about $as the retesting o% &rivers in !ennessee once reaching the age o% 7 then a rene$al ever' t$o to %ive 'ears. !here is no state la$ re(uiring a retesting o% &rivers a%ter hitting an' age. #% !ennessee ha& this la$) it has "otential to save a vast a*ount o% lives) an& cause less stress $hile &riving. # "lan on arguing *' belie%s on $h' !ennessee) li+e so*e other states re(uire a retesting o% el&erl' &rivers or at least *a+e their rene$als in "erson onl') rather than online) $ithout being assertive to the o""osing vie$s. !o begin) # +no$ that #,* not the onl' "erson in !ennessee $ho believes that this shoul& be a state la$ to a certain e-tent. Ever'&a' 'ou see &rivers "ull out in %ront o% 'ou) veer onto 'our si&e o% the roa&) &rive $ell belo$ the s"ee& li*it) etc. .or e-a*"le) *' / 'ear ol& gran&*other $as leaving her usual roa& that en&e& $ith a three0$a' re&0light. Each si&e o% the roa& has t$o lanes) an& one &a' she "ulle& &o$n the onco*ing tra%%ic lane an& &rove hal% a *ile &o$n 1ingston "i+e be%ore realizing that she $as on the $rong si&e. 2uc+il' there $asn,t an' tra%%ic %or a *ile &o$n the roa&. At that "oint she ha& un&erstoo& that her &riving nee&e& to be &ro""e& to a *ini*u*. As 'ears "ass b') an' nor*al "erson $ill age) # un&erstan& that) but $hen it co*es to &riving) the ol&er cro$& see*s to lose so*e o% their *otor s+ills. # cannot s"ea+ %or ever' &river over the age o% 7 ) but # &o $ant to use a higher "ercent concerning the el&er &river "o"ulation an& their lac+ o% s+ill. 3hether it,s hearing) vision) or 4ust shortage o% roa& +no$le&ge) it all "la's a %actor in &riving) an& can be a huge role in e%%ecting so*eone else5s

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li%e. # argue this to"ic because # +no$ it,s al$a's being &ebate&) but $e can never get a real ans$er o% $h' $e can,t "ass this la$. 6es it,s a hassle to go to the D78 an& stan& in line) but # guarantee that not ever' &river age 7 an& u" $oul& leave there $ith a rene$e& license. #n *' research o% this to"ic) # learne& that 9ali%ornia an& Australia have si*ilar la$s to $hat # have "ro"ose&. 3hen 'ou live in 8ictoria) Australia) 'ou are re(uire& to have 'our &rivers license rene$e& at the age o% 7 ) then ever' three 'ears a%ter :;arris<. ;o$ever) shoul& 'our local "h'sician) %a*il' *e*ber or "olice o%%icer %eel that 'ou aren,t reaching the bare *ini*u*= the' can stri" 'our rights. #n 2 12) /2)>2 "eo"le $ere ?*e&icall' revie$e&@ in Australia an& Dr. Ate"hen Barnis i&enti%ie& that at least 4) o% those revie$e& $ere a liabilit'

$hile &riving an& $ere re*ove& o% their license :;arris<. !he &ebate o% $h' is shoul& an& shoul&n,t be a la$ is ongoing. 9ali%ornia has a la$ that sa's once reaching the age o% 7 ) a license& &river *ust rene$ their license in "erson) $here a vision test is re(uire& too. #% the' are to %ail the vision test) the' have to ta+e the original &riving test over :Ata%% o% 9A7) an& D78<. # agree $ith both o% these la$s entirel') $hile so*e senior citizen lobb'ing grou"s &isagree) sa'ing that this is ?&iscri*inator'@ to the el&er &river :Ata%% o% 9A7<. !he clai* o% this issue is a "olic'. #n *' o"inion) !ennessee nee&s to reconsi&er the statistics "rovi&e& b' the De"art*ent o% !rans"ortation an& see the acci&ents an& high$a' %atalities cause& b' the ol&er &rivers. A bene%it to an ol&er &river not &riving) is the' $on,t have to s"en& the *one' %or insurance) gas) an& *aintenance) an& the state govern*ent alrea&' "rovi&es a transit service s"eci%icall' %or the el&er) at a lo$ rate "er ri&e. # +no$ that this &ebate $ill +ee" going unsettle&) but *a+ing this a la$ $ill save lives) an& ease so*e %rustration. # still nee& to %in& all the &o$nsi&es o% this argu*ent) besi&es ta+ing their in&e"en&ence a$a' o% being able to &rive.

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Annotate& Bibliogra"h' Ca*bert) Ateven R.) Dr. DAge an& #ts E%%ect on the El&er Driver.D ;tt"F// $$$.*va.*ar'lan&.gov/*o&ss/Resources/ga*bert0"resentation."&%. De"art*ent o% !rans"ortation) 7ar'lan&) 2 12. 3eb. 2/ Jan. 2 14.

Dr. Ateven R. Ca*bert gives a s"eech that gives statistics on the &river,s "resent G.A. "o"ulation o% age >5 an& u" an& a "ro4ecte& nu*ber o% el&erl' &rivers in 2 4 . #n his s"eech he i&enti%ies the e%%ects o% aging as an argu*ent o% &e%inition an& $hat $e can e-"ect $hile &riving as 'ears "ass on. #n 2 1 ) 15H o% all &rivers $ere at least >5 'ears ol&. ;e "ro4ects that in 2 25) 25H o% all &rivers $ill be >5 'ears ol& an& u". !he gra"h he &is"la's in his "resentation vie$ the nu*ber o% crashes "er *ile %or each age grou" starting at 1> to /5 an& ol&er. !he 1>03 'ears ol& range $ere res"onsible %or 15 %atal crashes "er 1 accounte& %or 2I %atal crashes. A stu&' %ro* the J;!AA in 1II5 state that senior citizens $ere res"onsible %or 5H o% all in4ure& "eo"le in tra%%ic crashes) 13H o% tra%%ic &eaths an& vehicle occu"ant %atalities) an& 1/H o% "e&estrian &eaths :Ca*bert<. 7a4orit' o% the &eaths %or tra%%ic acci&ent occurre& &uring the a%ternoon. #n so*e states that re(uire a license rene$al ever' 2 'ears or so a%ter reaching a certain age ha& &ro""e& 17H in high$a' %atalities "er license& &river. Dr. Ca*bert then "rovi&es each states re(uire*ent once a license& &river hits a s"eci%ie& age. ;e states that the e%%ect o% nor*al aging $ill be a sole reason %or &ecrease& abilities o% &riving s+ills an& cause o% acci&ents. *illion *iles an& &rivers >5 an& u" $ere

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;arris) E*ilia. DEight' Aenior Drivers .orce& to Aurren&er 2icenses a 3ee+.D ;eral& Aun. !he ;eral& Aun an& 3ee+l' !i*es Bt' 2i*ite&) 11 Aug. 2 13. 3eb. 2/ Jan. 2 14.

E*ilia ;arris $rites this article to re0evaluate the rea&ers o% Australia that the la$ sa's %or senior citizens &riving "asse& the age o% 7 $ere to be *e&icall' revie$e& annuall' b' their &octors. At age 7 ) the' are re(uire& to have their &rivers license rene$e&) then ever' 3 'ears a%ter. An' &octor) %a*il' *e*ber) or "olice o%%icers are allo$e& to &eci&e their %ate in &riving too. #n 2 12) 4)1 > "eo"le over the age o% 7 ha& their license sus"en&e& or cancele& &o to the &rivers +no$le&ge o% the &riving s'ste* :;arris<. A &river can also be sus"en&e& i% the *e&ical revie$ tea* sees that the &river %ails to bring in "ro"er *e&ical histor') or an' acci&ent %ro* "revious 'ears. !he in%or*ation "resente& in her 4ournal) $oul& be an i&eal argu*ent %or *ost govern*ent la$ o%%icials to ta+e a&vantage o%) an& realize the "ositive a%%ect o% this la$ in Australia. #n 2 12) /2)>2 "eo"le age 7 an& u" $ere revie$e& b' *e&ical e-a*iners :;arris<. Dr. Ate"hen Barnis sa's that) ?!he s'ste* $as $or+ing... the %act $e have i&enti%ie& 4) "eo"le

$ho have i*"air*ent is a goo& thing)@ :;arris<. !he re*ain&er o% the article "resents so*e statistics bet$een the 'ears o% 2 1 013. !he nu*ber %ro* "eo"le that ha& their license sus"en&e& $ent %ro* 3)2// in 2 1 to 4)1 > in 2 12 %or el&erl' &rivers. !he nu*ber o% &rivers $ho $ere *e&icall' revie$e& $ent %ro* >5)5>7 to /2)>2 in t$o 'ears. ;arris "resents us $ith "revious acci&ents in a one0*onth "erio& occurring in 8ictoria) AustraliaF > acci&ents ha""ene& %ro* the ages 7 0I1. 7a4orit' o% the reasons $h' the acci&ents too+ "lace is because the &river "resse& the gas "e&al) $hile *eaning to "ress the bra+e "e&al) $hich too+ res"onsibilit' %or a si-0car "ile u" an& cars being ran through sho""ing stores :;arris<. #t,s acci&ents li+e these that *ost

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'ounger &river,s aren,t usuall' a"art o%. #nstea& the',re %re(uentl' involve& in the categor' o% acci&ents %ro*F te-ting an& &riving) &rin+ing) s"ee&ing) etc.

7otton) Davi&. DEl&er Drivers Ahoul& Reta+e !heir !est) Aa's Aurve'.D !he !elegra"h. !elegra"h 7e&ia Crou") 17 7a' 2 13. 3eb. 2/ Jan. 2 14.

!he article $ritten b' Davi& 7otton "rovi&es in%or*ation %ro* a surve' that Auto !ra&er co*"anies release&. !here $ere 3)7>3 "eo"le that too+ this surve' "ertaining to license& &rivers being reteste& once the',ve reache& the age o% >>. Aevent'0three "ercent o% the "eo"le $ho too+ this surve' believe& that ol&er &rivers are beco*ing a hazar& to the streets. !he article sa's that > out o% 1 "eo"le believe that ol&er &rivers shoul& ?"rove@ their abilit' o% ho$ $ell the' can &rive be%ore the' are given their licenses bac+ :De"art*ent o% !rans"ortation<. Ao*e statistics sho$ that the IH o% &rivers over the age o% 7 account %or >H o% &river causalities :7otton<. 7otton also inclu&es a variet' in"uts %ro* i*"ortant "eo"le in relation to the to"ic o% retesting &rivers once the',ve reache& an'$here %ro* >507 'ears ol&. !he secon& "art o% the article su**arizes *ulti"le statistics that e-"lain ho$ ol&er &rivers %eel versus 'ounger &river in &i%%erent situations such asF &riving in rush hour) reaching in glove bo- $hile *oving) ho$ nervous the' are) reactions) etc. !he $riter,s thesis is to in%or* rea&ers o% the "roble*s that are occurring $ith ol&er &rivers an& $hat can be &one to "revent %uture outco*es. !he article can "ersua&e rea&ers to loo+ into *ore *otorist surve's an& "rovi&e their e-a*"les o% &riving st'les.

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DDriver ;its 11F Are El&erl' Drivers 7a+ing Roa&s Gnsa%eKD !he 9hristian Acience 7onitor. E&. Ata%%. !he 9hristian Acience 7onitor) 3 Aug. 2 12. 3eb. 2/ Jan. 2 14.

#n the ne$s article) ?Driver hits 11F Are el&erl' &rivers *a+ing roa&s unsa%eK@ a 1 ol& *an bac+s his AG8 into a si&e$al+ %ille& $ith 11 "eo"le) nine o% the* being ele*entar'

'ear

school +i&s. !his acci&ent ha""ene& in the *i&&le o% the a%ternoon) an& %our o% the chil&ren $ere liste& in critical con&ition :via intervie$e& co"<. !he article cause& *ore &ebate issues on $hat age shoul& senior citizens shoul& be reteste& on their &riving s+ills. A*aller ste"s have been recentl' ta+en to this argu*ent. #n 9ali%ornia) $here the acci&ent ha""ene&) the D78 re(uires an'one reaching the age o% 7 has to rene$ their license in "erson :D78 %eature& in article<. !he &rivers have to ta+e a vision test as $ell) i% the' %ail the test) their onl' o"tion to get their license bac+ is to ta+e a tra&itional &rivers test. #% a %a*il' *e*ber) "olice o%%icer) or "h'sician ?raises (uestion about their abilit' to &rive)@ then the' are re(uire& to ta+e the &rivers test again as i% the' $ere 4ust getting their license :Ata%% o% 9A7<. !he article also "re&icts that in 2 'ears %ro* no$) the nu*ber o% &rivers at age 7 $ill tri"le :Ata%%<. 3hile the nu*ber tri"les the a*ount o% "eo"le) it also a&&s on a higher "ercentage o% "e&estrian an& tra%%ic %atalities cause& b' senior citizens. Beo"le over the age o% 7 *a+e u"

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IH o% the "o"ulation :Ata%%<. Ao*e lobb'ing grou"s re"resente& b' senior citizens argue that *a+ing "eo"le over 7 retest is ?&iscri*inator'@ :9A7<. 3hile this state*ent coul& be ?&iscri*inator')@ it brings a $ell0sai& "oint. #% grou"s are getting o%%ensive over this "ro"osal) the' *ust +no$ that their &riving s+ills have ulti*atel' &ro""e& over the 'ears) an& the' realize that a *assive a*ount o% "eo"le $oul& lose their license.