ELDERLY DRIVERS: FORUM Should elderly drivers still be on the road? ...Discuss! As always, we ask the questions, and you post your thoughts up on the forum. All answers will be recorded within our next issue. THERE has been plenty of talk throughout The Instructor over the past year or so about elderly drivers. The question has always been ‘should they be on the road?’ with the answer usually leaning towards ‘no’. However it has recently been reported that an elderly lady of 93 (see news section) has repassed her driving test with flying colours. Does this mean our thoughts were wrong all along? What are your thoughts and experiences with elderly drivers? Have elderly drivers now proved their worth on the road? Do you agree with the DVLA for asking this lady to re-take her test...should they ask more elderly drivers? These are just a few questions that spring to mind. But of course, with this question being on the forum, we would love for your free-flowing thoughts to come out, and discuss with your fellow ADI’s and PDI’s. Some of the comments will be posted within the next issue. Please feel free to keep the conversation going - even after we have gone live! New members can then log in, read the forums, and keep up to date with all your latest thoughts and ideas. New to The Instructor? • Just log on to www.ukdic.co.uk • Then along the top tabs, click ‘forum’ • Click ‘create an account’ • Follow the steps for creating your new account • You will then be a member of our forums! Congratulations. Enjoy the discussion topics, and get involved! HAVE YOUR SAY As a regular feature, and with many of you constantly involved - I’m sure you know how it works now. But for those of you who are new, welcome! Just visit our forum page to post your thoughts! Last issue we asked the question: ‘Dangerous drivers how does it happen?’ Here is one of the comments posted: Do you find that refresher courses are becoming an increasingly popular part of your ‘everyday’ work? Not around here. Everyone is a driving expert so it would be pointless for them to take refresher courses. Why do you think drivers pick up such bad habits, is there more the government or driving instructors could do to increase continued driver education? A lack of effective enforcement. Its amazing how well people can drive when theres a police car behind them, only to revert back to their old habits the second that the police car stops following. Not a lot that the ADI could do without powers of arrest How easy is it to re-educate a driver with bad habits? It depends on the driver. Getting them to admit that theres a problem in the first place is near impossible. - SDL www.ukdic.co.uk l THE INSTRUCTOR