this post was submitted on 07 Dec 2023
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Ontario considering enhanced road test for drivers over 80: auditor general report (toronto.ctvnews.ca)
submitted 1 year ago by terath to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I think regular, mandatory retesting every few years for every driver should be done. It is kinda ridiculous that someone gets a lisence as a young adult and is just trusted to continue driving safely for decades to come.

Retesting regularly would help ensure more drivers keep their safe driving habits and stay up to date on the rules of the road. Yes this would come with a massive increase in operating costs, but it could save many lives from preventable deaths on the road.

[–] terath 8 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I strongly disagree, these driving tests do nothing for promoting safety, and everything for minor rule following. In some cases what they teach is actually less safe. Like having to waggle your head around to "show the tester you are looking" or not using backup cameras and other driver aids.

If we want to increase safety we should send people to skid school periodically, not retest them on useless easily abused by testers items. Also we should invest more heavily in public transit. I'd far rather see money go to public transit then further enable these private testing facilities to let their poorly trained testers continue abusing people trying to get their license and learn actual practical skills.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

I mean, you could also improve the tests...

[–] Peppycito 5 points 1 year ago

Skid school is a fabulous idea! Let's promote skills and knowledge instead of being a punitory society.

[–] brax 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If they fail you for not using your blinkers, it might work wonders.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Then how would they sell BMWs? Everyone knows signal lights aren't standard equipment on those.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If the road tests do nothing for promoting safety, why not abolish them completely?

[–] terath 1 points 1 year ago

It's a valid question. Honestly, getting rid of the test and instead authorizing driving schools to approve people as ready to graduate would likely be a fair better solution. The driving instructors spend much more time with students and thus are far better situated to judge if they are ready.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Once a decade would be reasonable. I have to retest every 5 years to prove that i can take a test that says I work on these deathtraps. Being at least semi-competent to operate one should be regularly assessed as well.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

100% agree.. Just got in an argument over driving sense and responsibility. This is absolutely needed. People don't even understand that they are part of a system of transportation let alone the rules or how the car even works. They learn enough to get the license and as long as they don't kill another person or get a ticket they're a "good driver."

[–] Peppycito 0 points 1 year ago

Lol! Good luck running on that platform! But you're right, we need to add another layer on our bureaucratic layer cake that is modern society. And let's make it cost double everytime.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Why, though? According to Stats Canada, those who are 65+ don't cause as many accidents as some lower age demographics.

The same stats also suggest that “speed, impaired, environmental, and distraction” are the top causes for fatal collisions, so why not focus on improving/enforcing those factors?

It might be better to simply retest anyone who's been fined for speeding, impaired, etc., and/or have been in a collision. At least then they'd need to prove that they are still capable of being allowed back on the road.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

I'd love to see stricter enforcement & punishments across the board. The amount of insane driving on a daily basis is ridiculous, I don't understand how those people are driving like that daily. Our society is way too casual about road safety.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Between the ages 65 and 80 can have a huge decline in people's mental and physical health. I would like to see crash states for people 80+

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Me too, but the numbers are likely so small that stats Canada has to lump everything into 65+.

See, old people don't generally speed or drive recklessly, so they probably aren't causing many fatal accidents. In fact, people get pissed off with older drivers because they drive so slow. 😂

I'd love to know how many 80+ drivers we have in ontario, because the population over 80 is pretty small.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

And those "slow drivers" are probably just doing the speed limit. Seems the norm is 15-20 over the maximum, so whats the point of having the maximum anyway?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

@FireRetardant @Showroom7561 It's a subtle reminder that we should always push the limits and burn more fossil fuel while we are at it.

[–] terath 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm sure 80% of all drivers could not pass a road test, myself included, because those road tests are full of massive bullshit from testers with inflated egos.

I still remember the shit they tried to tell me I did wrong. One asshole tester said that I wasn't aware of the speed limits because.... I should know that road X was in a commercial zone and all commercial zones are 60, and that driving 40 by the school was wrong because it's the only school in the city without a 40 speed limit.

The testers are generally incompetent so them wanting to introduce more road testing seems like a bad idea.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I would love everybody insulated to have to redo. Its absolutely a money grab + completely fucked

[–] terath 7 points 1 year ago

100% a money grab, especially now that it's been privatized. My partner just did the written test and at least a quarter of the questions were those inappropriate "What is the punishment for offence Y?" questions. Why is knowing that at all important? As long as we know what things are illegal it should be enough. Those are the only ones she got wrong and had to take the stupid test twice.

No doubt that they put that many of those useless types of questions because they know if they didn't no one would fail. But this way they get a lot of people taking it twice, which you can do without even waiting, as long as you pay more fees for each try.

[–] brax 2 points 1 year ago

Sounds more like it's an area that needs much heavier regulations and scrutiny. Time to make it the public system it should be.

[–] brax 6 points 1 year ago

They should force a retest for everybody every time they need to renew their license. What's the point of the license expiring, otherwise? It's just a Pay2Play system in its current form.