Senior Citizens Driving

THESE DAYS, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE MORE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE GETTING INTO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. IT CREATES AN IMPRESSION THAT SENIOR CITIZENS ARE UNSAFE DRIVERS. BUT ARE THEY?

JUST LAST MONTH – A SENIOR CRASHED INTO A STORE AT THE SIERRA VISTA MALL IN CLOVIS. NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT. LAST JULY – A SENIOR CITIZEN CRASHED INTO THE AAA OFFICE IN FRESNO. IT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

AND MOST PEOPLE REMEMBER THE CASE OF 86 YEAR OLD GEORGE WELLER – WHO KILLED TEN PEDESTRIANS – AT THE FARMERS MARKET IN SANTA MONICA IN 2003.
IT SPARKED A NATIONAL DEBATE OVER SENIOR DRIVERS.. THAT LINGERS ON TO THIS DAY. IN AN EYEWITNESS NEWS SPECIAL REPORT WE ASK THE QUESTION…
… ARE SENIOR CITIZENS INHERENTLY BAD DRIVERS?

Super: John Locher/DMV

02;08;22.. Seniors as a group, are a very safe demographic of drivers.. 02; 08; 25

AND JOHN LOWCHER SHOULD KNOW. HE’S A D.M.V. EXPERT, WITH A HEART FOR SENIORS.

HE’S A FORMER DMV SAFETY HEARING OFFICER, DRIVING EXAMINER AND CURRENTLY OVERSEES A STATE-WIDE DMV PROGRAM THAT DEALS WITH WHAT SOME CALLING THE SENIOR TSUNAMI.. OF OLDER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.

AT THE D.M.V. OFFICE ON OLIVE IN FRESNO I ASKED HIM THE OBVIOUS QUESTION:
.. ISN’T THERE AN AGE LIMIT FOR GETTING A LICENSE?

Super: John Locher/DMV

02;12;15… California by law has no automatic upper age limit on driving.. 02;12;18

NO AGE LIMIT? NOPE. NONE.
AND LISTEN TO THIS..

02;14; 09.. There’s approximately five hundred persons in California licence age one hundred or greater.. 02;14;16..

HUNDREDS OF ONE HUNDRED YEAR OLD DRIVERS.

IF THAT MAKE YOU NERVOUS, REMEMBER THE DMV ‘DOES’ STEP UP TESTING FOR SENIOR DRIVERS..

.. MORE ON THAT IN MOMENT…

BUT FIRST MEET MARY JO..

01;17;09.. Do you find that you drive slower? No.. I mean I never was a person who would speed.. 01;17;15

{ NAT SOUND – MARY JO}

ONE REASON THERE’S NO AGE LIMIT FOR DRIVING IS BECAUSE OF SENIOR DRIVERS LIKE MARY JO POPEL…

AT 85 YEAR’S OLD THIS GREAT, GREAT GRANDMOTHER – HAPPENS TO BE AN EXCELLENT DRIVER.
IN FACT, SHE’S BETTER THAN MOST – AND CERTAINLY BETTER THAN YOUR AVERAGE TEENAGE DRIVER.

Super: Mary Jo Pople/Senior Citizen

01;06;55 Oh I feel confident.. I feel like a young person really 01;07; 00

SHE’S GOOD. IN FACT SHE EVEN TOOK US FOR A SPIN.

{ NAT SOUND }

SO BESIDES HER GOOD HEALTH – WHAT’S HER SECRET?

01;01;14.. I’m aware of everything around me.. At all times.. 01;01;16

01;01;18… And I’m always watching the other driver 01;01;19

01;01; 22.. And I always stay in the speed limit… I don’t want to get a ticket 01;01;24

01;01; 28.. And I always wear my seat belt 01;01;30

01;01; 30.. Never use a cell phone in the car.. 01;01;31

BACK AT DMV OFFICE SENIORS – LIKE MARY JO – FACE MORE FREQUENT TESTING..

… AND IT ALL STARTS AT 70…..

02;09;48.. So at 70 we ask the drivers to come in and renew their licenses in person.. 02;09;52

UNLIKE YOUNGER DRIVERS WHO CAN JUST MAIL IN THEIR LICENSE RENEWAL
.. ONCE YOU HIT 70 YOU HAVE TO APPLY IN PERSON .. FOR A FIVE YEAR LICENSE.

{ NAT SOUND FLASH AGAIN . Light going off again.. 02;36;39.. One two and three.. 02;36;42 }

SENIORS HAVE TO PASS THE WRITTEN TEST – AND THAT DREADED EYE CHART ‘ IN PERSON…’

VISION OKAY? CHECK
PHYSICALLY OKAY – CHECK
REFLEXES OKAY? CHECK
MENTALLY OKAY? CHECK

IF THEY CHECK OUT.. THEN..

02;10;35.. then you’re still going to get a five year license…02;10;37

01;52; 50 {tv monitor } I hate making left hand turns at a busy intersections 01;52; 53

SOME SENIORS GEAR UP FOR THOSE ‘IN PERSON’ TESTS – BY GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.

Super: Jose Plascencia/AAA

01;01;17.. Here in the Clovis of AAA we senior or mature drivers course 01;01; 23

AAA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AARP OFFERS AN EIGHT HOUR CLASS TO HELP SENIORS STAY SHARP AND SAFE BEHIND THE WHEEL…

01;06; 39… The bottom line.. Is any driver can enhance their skills at any time.. 01;06;42

SENIORS WHO COMPLETE THIS COURSE GET A DIPLOMA .. A SHOT OF CONFIDENCE.. AND MORE..

01;06;57.. . on top of that .. now you’re eligible for an insurance discount .. 01;07;00

THANKS TO COURSES LIKE THIS MORE SENIORS ARE STAYING ON THE ROAD LONGER.

BUT THEY’RE NOT DRIVING LIKE THEY USED TO..

{ NAT SOUND }

SOT: 01;20;03.. I don’t really drive a long way anywhere 01;20;05

MANY SENIORS – LIKE MARY JO – JUST DON’T DRIVE AS MUCH AS THEY USED TOO…

THEY LIMIT THEIR RISKS – BY LIMITING THEIR TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL…

02;08;35.. Many seniors don’t drive at night.. Don’t drive in inclement weather.. Don’t drive around the mall at Christmas time.. 02;08;40

FROM LIMITED DRIVING.. TO NO DRIVING.

{ NAT SOUND DROPPING CAR KEYS IN SOMEONE’S HANDS.. }

WHEN SHOULD SENIORS GIVE UP THE CAR KEYS?

02;13;20.. We look for issues and events.. Rather than just age.. 02;13;22 …

ISSUES LIKE TOO MANY FENDER BENDERS OR EVEN MENTAL ISSUES..

FOR FAMILIES – TAKING THE KEYS AWAY CAN BE A DIFFICULT SUBJECT TO BRING UP……

BECAUSE SENIORS – LIKE MOST OF US – FEAR LOSING THEIR INDEPENDENCE…

(two shot ken)

02;24;01.. Its so difficult for them.. They’re afraid.. They’re deadly afraid.. 02;24; 04

Super: John Locher/DMV

02;17;14 it can be devastating.. I mean now the adult no longer the adult.. They are relying on the child.. 02;17;18

01;08;55.. it’s a difficult family conversation to have.. 01;08; 57

ITS SO DIFFICULT THAT A.A.R.P – EVEN OFFERS A CLASS ON THE SUBJECT… ENTITLED.. ‘ WE NEED TO TALK ‘

02;20;32.. Children have been taken out of wills because they reported their family member to law enforcement or the DMV.. 02;20;40

BUT EVERY DAY… FAMILIES ARE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF THE PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL RISKS…

02;17;43.. And now you’re risking your family’s inheritance.. Your legacy if you will.. 02;17;47 by driving when you no longer should 02;17;49

LOWCHER TELLS FRUGAL MINDED SENIORS THAT THERE ARE FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO TURNING IN THE KEYS.. NO INSURANCE BILLS, NO GAS BILLS AND NO AUTO MAINTENANCE BILLS..

LOWCHER TELLS FRUGAL MINDED SENIORS THAT THERE ARE FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO TURNING IN THE KEYS.. NO INSURANCE BILLS, NO GAS BILLS AND NO AUTO MAINTENANCE BILLS..

AND THERE ARE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES – LIKE SHUTTLES, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND SOME ARE EVEN TRYING OUT UBER.

AS FOR MARY JO.. SHE’S STILL GOING STRONG AT 85…
ASSUMING SHE PASSES HER NEXT DMV TEST – SHE’LL BE GOOD TO DRIVE UNTIL SHE’S 90
.. BUT SHE KNOWS IT WON’T LAST FOREVER..

01;07;42.. I know that day will probably come.. But right now I’m able to anything I want to do myself.. 01;07;47

{ NAT SOUND…DMV FLASH BULB- FLASH AGAIN Light going off again.. 02;36;39.. One two and three.. 02;36;42)

AND WHILE MOST OF US – DON’T LIKE OUR DRIVER’S LICENSE PICTURE.. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE BECOME SENIOR CITIZENS AND OUR PICTURES START TO LOOK LIKE THIS…

…… WE STILL LOVE THE FREEDOM IT GIVES US..

01;04; 23.. (ken) It’s kind of your freedom… Isn’t it? Yes it is. I don’t know what I’d do.. Someone would have to go to the store for me.. Laughter… 01;04;30

01;04;30.. I really need my car.. 01;04; 32

FOR SENIORS WITH CERTAIN DEGENERATIVE EYE DISEASE – THE D.M.V. WILL OFFER SHORT TERM DRIVERS LICENSE EXTENTIONS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND TOOLS THAT CAN HELP SENIORS STAY SAFE ON THE ROAD.
AARP HAS A SAFE DRIVER COURSE…
THERE’S A VIDEO ENTITLED ‘WE NEED TO TALK’…
AND FINALLY THE DMV HAS INFORMATION FOR SENIOR DRIVERS AS WELL –