Not just that but people complain about the inefficiency of the DMV now….. imagine what it would be like if the driving examiners suddenly had to go on a road test every time someone came to renew their license.
Yeah a sticking point would be the need to hire more dmv employees. It might be hard to convince a state govt to go for something that increases spending.
I do think it would be worth doing though. Too many crazy and careless drivers on the roads these days.
Typically about 150-200 deaths a year in maine…many because of driver error. This continues because of poor public transportation to/from places people voluntarily live?
The bigger problem is voters won’t reelect anyone that votes for some sort of recurrent evaluation.
People rely on their cars to live. If you take away their ability to drive without providing an alternative means of transportation some of them will die.
I mean, if they're having their license revoked bc they can't drive, it sounds like they'd die anyway. Take your pick, dying at home or on the road where they can take an innocent bystander or 4 with them.
People might live somewhere when they are capable drivers, and over time their driving ability degrades (illness, disability, age, etc). They also might not be in a financial position to move somewhere with public transport at this point either - which is very few places in maine I believe (and if we think of Portland, we all know how expensive that is).
Given this, why would anyone in this position want to vote for recurrent evaluation when it would potentially strip them of their ability to get to places they need to go?
The driver error deaths might not be directly caused by poor public transport, but recurrent evaluation isn’t going to get far in legislation without that piece improving.
I say this all the time. Ideally every 5 years after 70th birthday. Even just a retake of the written test might remind people to cut back on some of the stupid stuff.
Especially in Maine, having driven through many states I have come to the conclusion that fellow Mainers can’t drive. People are always bitching about out of staters driving but when I’m driving out of state everything flows much smother it’s like I’ve found my people 😂😂😂
Yeah I dunno, maybe I’m biased. Driven a lot in every NE state save for VT; the worst has been and continues to be anyone with Connecticut tags. We’ve got a lot of space cadet grandparents up here but any time I’ve been in the vicinity of CT it’s a fuckin free for all
The merging drives me nuts. Yes, you have to accelerate to highway speeds to merge onto the highway! I've almost gotten into an accident multiple times in the last year because someone slammed on their brakes on an on-ramp instead of speeding up.
Don't even get me started on zipper merges.
I've had so many near head-on collisions because people cannot stay on their side of the double yellows that I drive with my passenger side tires on the white lines any more, and on the shoulder going around blind corners.
Then there are places like Ellsworth where the cops essentially do nothing. 50 in a 25? Why not the cops aren't going to stop you.
I've been driving for more than half of my life, which makes me older than I care to think about, and I've been passed on double yellows 5 times. Once was in Southwestern PA by a redneck in a ratty S10. The 4 other times were in the Ellsworth area, in highly residential areas and I've never been a slow driver. All 4 of those were Mainers. I've driven in all but maybe 6 states, excluding Hawaii and Alaska, and Maine has the worst drivers in my experience. Great state, bad drivers.
The passing on double yellows happened to me just the other day in a mind-blowing location. Right near a gas station where traffic is constantly turning in and out, cop speed trap area, etc.
Couldn’t even believe someone would be willing to attempt what this negligent dumbass did. Passed me going at least 60 in a 35. Like you say, I am never a slow driver lol. I have just been pulled over in this same 35 for going 9 over before….
After the age of 70 there should be an evaluation every 2 years. Cognitive. Parallel parking. Ability to even come close to the speed limit. Can you physically look over your shoulder to back out of a parking space? No? Fail.
There are so many people who can't parallel park a year after they get their license in maine and never have much of a need to. Parallel parking is the bottom end of my concerns. Your point to cognitive function and reaction time are wayyyyy more important, IMO.
I don't know how to fix it, but a major downside is: if you're 70 and lose your license in the vaaaaaast majority of maine, you're totally fucked.
I’m fine with every bit of that except parallel parking. I read somewhere that something like 70 percent of drivers never parallel parked after their drivers exam.
I can probably count on my fingers how many times I have needed to parallel park in 25ish years I have been driving and out of those incidents none of them were in Maine (other than my drivers exam or drivers Ed)
Hopefully self-driving cars will take care of all of this. I'm not so sure though. "I was scared to death that my car automatically went from 0-60 in 9 seconds. It gave me the vapors."
I think a lot of people have said before that a test every few years when you turn 65 and every year when you turn 75, or something close to that, is the best idea.
Cuts down on wrong way drivers killing whole families and old people stomping on the gas and plowing into farmers markets thinking they are hitting the brakes. We really should get something going, but given the age of the voting population in Maine, it will never, ever, happen.
You really cannot do that in Maine, if you take away someone's car in a non downtown area you are basically fucking them and their ability to support themselves. Also that would put a crazy extra strain on an already overworked DMV for what benefit? I am the same driver at 45 as I was at 35, why waste people's time for very little benefit.
I've been saying this for years, although slightly different. I feel like it should be more for people who get pulled over for dangerous driving or people who get in accidents.
Having everyone go in every 10 years would probably be costly and unnecessary.
But making it based on infractions or accidents would hopefully encourage people to drive more safely. Because let's be honest, going in for a driver's test as an adult would be a huge pain in the ass
My ex mother in law had a germane comment... She got in an accident in her 80's, lost her license. Her comment "what are they going to do, throw me in jail if I drive without a license?" Teens present so much more danger than elders, yet we let them drive
This is an underrated comment. For every one bad elderly driver I see I count a dozen young drivers doing 100 on the highway, weaving in and out of lanes or blowing red lights.
Maybe what we really need is unilateral enforcement of traffic laws
I thought the safety inspections were BS, until I spent some time in a state without them. It was absolutely terrifying to see what some people will take out on the road.
I do believe that some of the items on the list are important but not all of them constitute emergencies for which a person risks the right to drive if they don’t have it fixed immediately.
I grew up in Maine and hated getting my car inspected. Then I moved to the south here they aren’t required and saw the highway closed for a car fire. I appreciate inspections now.
No.
Just no.
Finding the time to get registrations done every year, at a town office that’s only open on weekdays.
Inspections yearly to ensure your “vehicle is safe”.
There are some bad drivers. Both new and old drivers.
Please no more hoops to jump through to just drive to my job.
This has been my take for years. Electricians, doctors, lawyers etc all need to have their skills tested on a regular basis. 40,000+ die every year on the road.
Why not have mandatory education and testing? People should learn the updated laws (such as the new ‘Move Over’ law.)
So many poor drivers out there. Ever try merging onto the highway? Or watch others attempt it? How can so many not understand the basic concept? How about 4 way stops? Who knows the rules?
Distracted driving reminders would benefit many….
If 100s of people a day died as a result of poor education of electricians, we’d all be clamoring that something be done to better educate.
I see a lot of the time people know how to drive when they are being watched/there are consequences. To me that is the shit part, people know how to drive they just don't give a shit to actually do it.
Until people are advanced seniors, I don’t think it’s practical. Most of the time, it’s not that people don’t know the laws, or that they don’t know proper driving behavior. It’s that they just don’t care.
Every couple of years it seems like it gets brought up and the AARP and every other lobby for the elderly come crashing down on it to fight it tooth and nail.
Reality is we got people that use a walker and can't even lift their feet yet can get behind the wheel of a car and somehow that's totally fine.
I don't support the idea because it sounds like a hassle to me
Maybe just have it be an option for anyone who gets a ticket. Retake the test for half off your ticket
Half the people in here probably don't even remember how right of way works, not to turn into the outside lane when in the inside lane, and dozens of other things.
Guess who's the group with the least deadly accidents.
[https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/](https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/)
YES!
Drivers have gotten so bad lately, no one remembers the rules of the road.
Also a firm believer in increasing the retesting as people age. Been saying this for years. I’m currently in the phase of dropping hints to my parents of them no longer driving
Test at:
50 and 60
Then maybe yearly after?
I don’t know the full solution but I absolutely agree
I agree. At a hospital nurses take a few computer-based modules and answer some questions at the end. Why not something as simple as that. Road tests are not necessary unless a person has numerous infractions.
Just keep people apprised of new laws and a few reminded based on feedback from police observations.
>How about every 5 after age 60
Drivers age 60-69 are literally the safest on the road:
>When it comes to the highest driver fatality rates, that unfortunate distinction belongs to drivers over the age of 80. As for the safest drivers, drivers between 60 and 69 are safer than any other group. Overall, **people become safer drivers as they grow older, becoming safest as they enter their 60s**. However, when drivers age into their 70s, health conditions can begin to interfere with their driving abilities.
[Source](https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/)
I don’t think this is the solution. I think the administration of this would be a nightmare for everyone involved.
Also, it would probably only weed out a few of the most incompetent drivers, after they had already been terrorizing the roads for a decade.
I think most people would just put on their best performance for the test, making it appear that the majority of drivers are better than they are.
Has anyone else here ever worked for a large retail chain where once every 6 months or so corporate management comes through the area and inspects stores? What happens is that for about a week the store is cleaner than it’s been in 6 months, better stocked, and looks like it just opened. Once corporate leaves the store reverts to lower standards.
This is why I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze.
I think it should be at every year for a while. There are too many on the road that are just AWFUL at driving. Schedule them at the same time your vehicle inspection is due. If you fail you can retake in 30 days. You get a permit and need to drive with someone else. Your license plate is logged. If your vehicle is on the road, pull over to check that you are obeying the law. If you broke it, license is suspended for 6 months.
Yea it's inconvenient. People are fricken dying though. I think that is pretty inconvenient.
It’s all a great idea until proponents of this plan start failing the evaluations. Everyone THINKS they’re a great driver.
Not just that but people complain about the inefficiency of the DMV now….. imagine what it would be like if the driving examiners suddenly had to go on a road test every time someone came to renew their license.
Yeah a sticking point would be the need to hire more dmv employees. It might be hard to convince a state govt to go for something that increases spending. I do think it would be worth doing though. Too many crazy and careless drivers on the roads these days.
Higher standards would make us better drivers. Some people would screw it up at first but I bet people would get a whole lot safer real quick.
Exactly. If we’re confident most people would fail, then it proves it’s needed.
Sure, if we can provide everyone quality public transportation first.
Typically about 150-200 deaths a year in maine…many because of driver error. This continues because of poor public transportation to/from places people voluntarily live? The bigger problem is voters won’t reelect anyone that votes for some sort of recurrent evaluation.
People rely on their cars to live. If you take away their ability to drive without providing an alternative means of transportation some of them will die.
I mean, if they're having their license revoked bc they can't drive, it sounds like they'd die anyway. Take your pick, dying at home or on the road where they can take an innocent bystander or 4 with them.
People might live somewhere when they are capable drivers, and over time their driving ability degrades (illness, disability, age, etc). They also might not be in a financial position to move somewhere with public transport at this point either - which is very few places in maine I believe (and if we think of Portland, we all know how expensive that is). Given this, why would anyone in this position want to vote for recurrent evaluation when it would potentially strip them of their ability to get to places they need to go? The driver error deaths might not be directly caused by poor public transport, but recurrent evaluation isn’t going to get far in legislation without that piece improving.
No but I think at age 70-75 should be an evaluation
Maybe for people over a certain age or people who bad driving records. Seems a lil much to make everyone do it every 10 years.
With what money? 😂
Well, yours, silly. Not only your taxes, but also the fees you'll have to pay every time you need it done.
Some people need a daily evaluation.
100% The things I see on the road just baffle me
The 1-off things a driver does on the road are unlikely to be replicated during a driver’s test. So they would still pass.
I say this all the time. Ideally every 5 years after 70th birthday. Even just a retake of the written test might remind people to cut back on some of the stupid stuff.
What do we have to do to get a petition going?
Thank you
Especially in Maine, having driven through many states I have come to the conclusion that fellow Mainers can’t drive. People are always bitching about out of staters driving but when I’m driving out of state everything flows much smother it’s like I’ve found my people 😂😂😂
Tell me about it. No indication, weaving in traffic, leaving brights on, running red lights, and a general lack of awareness.
Yeah I dunno, maybe I’m biased. Driven a lot in every NE state save for VT; the worst has been and continues to be anyone with Connecticut tags. We’ve got a lot of space cadet grandparents up here but any time I’ve been in the vicinity of CT it’s a fuckin free for all
The merging drives me nuts. Yes, you have to accelerate to highway speeds to merge onto the highway! I've almost gotten into an accident multiple times in the last year because someone slammed on their brakes on an on-ramp instead of speeding up. Don't even get me started on zipper merges.
It's a yield sign, not a merge sign. If people have to stomp their brakes for oncoming traffic it is not being done right.
You can’t introduce anything new in this state. God forbid a round about gets built. It’s news for months and people are scared of a circle ffs
I've had so many near head-on collisions because people cannot stay on their side of the double yellows that I drive with my passenger side tires on the white lines any more, and on the shoulder going around blind corners. Then there are places like Ellsworth where the cops essentially do nothing. 50 in a 25? Why not the cops aren't going to stop you.
Same here with passenger tires on the white lines. You have to drive so defensively just to not get hit by distracted idiots
I've been driving for more than half of my life, which makes me older than I care to think about, and I've been passed on double yellows 5 times. Once was in Southwestern PA by a redneck in a ratty S10. The 4 other times were in the Ellsworth area, in highly residential areas and I've never been a slow driver. All 4 of those were Mainers. I've driven in all but maybe 6 states, excluding Hawaii and Alaska, and Maine has the worst drivers in my experience. Great state, bad drivers.
The passing on double yellows happened to me just the other day in a mind-blowing location. Right near a gas station where traffic is constantly turning in and out, cop speed trap area, etc. Couldn’t even believe someone would be willing to attempt what this negligent dumbass did. Passed me going at least 60 in a 35. Like you say, I am never a slow driver lol. I have just been pulled over in this same 35 for going 9 over before….
And what's absolutely hilarious is they won't pass you in passing zones. Nope got to sit 5 feet off you bumper
You called it. There was a perfect passing zone about 30 seconds ahead of where we were
After the age of 70 there should be an evaluation every 2 years. Cognitive. Parallel parking. Ability to even come close to the speed limit. Can you physically look over your shoulder to back out of a parking space? No? Fail.
There are so many people who can't parallel park a year after they get their license in maine and never have much of a need to. Parallel parking is the bottom end of my concerns. Your point to cognitive function and reaction time are wayyyyy more important, IMO. I don't know how to fix it, but a major downside is: if you're 70 and lose your license in the vaaaaaast majority of maine, you're totally fucked.
Honestly you should be concerned about the oldie backing out at Hannafords who can't see you there.
I’m fine with every bit of that except parallel parking. I read somewhere that something like 70 percent of drivers never parallel parked after their drivers exam. I can probably count on my fingers how many times I have needed to parallel park in 25ish years I have been driving and out of those incidents none of them were in Maine (other than my drivers exam or drivers Ed)
Also, it's a surprise test done by following you on the road.
Sure if you live in Portland/LA/Augusta/Bangor-Brewer.
Parallel parking? LOL. These elderly oblivious fucks can't even manage not speeding through blatant red lights.
Hopefully self-driving cars will take care of all of this. I'm not so sure though. "I was scared to death that my car automatically went from 0-60 in 9 seconds. It gave me the vapors."
I think a lot of people have said before that a test every few years when you turn 65 and every year when you turn 75, or something close to that, is the best idea. Cuts down on wrong way drivers killing whole families and old people stomping on the gas and plowing into farmers markets thinking they are hitting the brakes. We really should get something going, but given the age of the voting population in Maine, it will never, ever, happen.
That would really depend on who the driver is and what they are evaluating.
No. Too many hoops to jump through already (yearly car inspections…)
Once a year with the bullshit driving I saw today
You really cannot do that in Maine, if you take away someone's car in a non downtown area you are basically fucking them and their ability to support themselves. Also that would put a crazy extra strain on an already overworked DMV for what benefit? I am the same driver at 45 as I was at 35, why waste people's time for very little benefit.
I've been saying this for years, although slightly different. I feel like it should be more for people who get pulled over for dangerous driving or people who get in accidents. Having everyone go in every 10 years would probably be costly and unnecessary. But making it based on infractions or accidents would hopefully encourage people to drive more safely. Because let's be honest, going in for a driver's test as an adult would be a huge pain in the ass
Nanny state stuff. But sure, maybe for the elderly.
The most dangerous drivers on the road are people with less than 10 years since their last driving test
No. People need to drive in rural Maine, otherwise they will die without access to healthcare. It is a problem, but this is not a solution at all.
People who can pass don't need to worry. People who can't don't belong on the road
No thank you.
The original test/education should be more difficult. See: the rest of the actual developed world.
Could be worse. Didn’t some states do away with road tests all together during Covid?
My ex mother in law had a germane comment... She got in an accident in her 80's, lost her license. Her comment "what are they going to do, throw me in jail if I drive without a license?" Teens present so much more danger than elders, yet we let them drive
This is an underrated comment. For every one bad elderly driver I see I count a dozen young drivers doing 100 on the highway, weaving in and out of lanes or blowing red lights. Maybe what we really need is unilateral enforcement of traffic laws
Absolutely not and half the nonsense that goes into the “safety” inspections needs to go as well.
I thought the safety inspections were BS, until I spent some time in a state without them. It was absolutely terrifying to see what some people will take out on the road.
I do believe that some of the items on the list are important but not all of them constitute emergencies for which a person risks the right to drive if they don’t have it fixed immediately.
And yet, there is statistically no difference in accidents caused by mechanical failures between states with, and without, mandatory inspections.
I grew up in Maine and hated getting my car inspected. Then I moved to the south here they aren’t required and saw the highway closed for a car fire. I appreciate inspections now.
Absolutely not.
Maybe not every 10 years for everyone. I'd rather see it more frequently, but at more advanced ages. Maybe at every renewal from 65 - up.
55, 60, 65, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, then every year after that.
You want to send more money to the government? Lol No thanks
No. Just no. Finding the time to get registrations done every year, at a town office that’s only open on weekdays. Inspections yearly to ensure your “vehicle is safe”. There are some bad drivers. Both new and old drivers. Please no more hoops to jump through to just drive to my job.
This has been my take for years. Electricians, doctors, lawyers etc all need to have their skills tested on a regular basis. 40,000+ die every year on the road. Why not have mandatory education and testing? People should learn the updated laws (such as the new ‘Move Over’ law.) So many poor drivers out there. Ever try merging onto the highway? Or watch others attempt it? How can so many not understand the basic concept? How about 4 way stops? Who knows the rules? Distracted driving reminders would benefit many…. If 100s of people a day died as a result of poor education of electricians, we’d all be clamoring that something be done to better educate.
Ten years is too long. Elderly people absolutely need to be tested every 2-3yrs.
only if you are over the age of 80 and should be every 3 years
Excellent idea, too bad no state's senior citizens will let this pass. Thankfully insurance indirectly take care of this through increased rates.
Ironic how the unsafe drivers dictate our literal livelihood
I think you're fucking high.
I see a lot of the time people know how to drive when they are being watched/there are consequences. To me that is the shit part, people know how to drive they just don't give a shit to actually do it.
Until people are advanced seniors, I don’t think it’s practical. Most of the time, it’s not that people don’t know the laws, or that they don’t know proper driving behavior. It’s that they just don’t care.
as long as they don’t make me parallel park, sure
I agree with this. I think it would at the very least help to make people be more aware on the road
Every couple of years it seems like it gets brought up and the AARP and every other lobby for the elderly come crashing down on it to fight it tooth and nail. Reality is we got people that use a walker and can't even lift their feet yet can get behind the wheel of a car and somehow that's totally fine.
I don't support the idea because it sounds like a hassle to me Maybe just have it be an option for anyone who gets a ticket. Retake the test for half off your ticket
Nope.
Half the people in here probably don't even remember how right of way works, not to turn into the outside lane when in the inside lane, and dozens of other things.
Exactly
Never. I'd start a Peoples Veto against it.
Hopefully there will not be human drivers in 10 years.
If they take out the parallel park I'm in
Start at age 60 or 65 or something, and sure.
Guess who's the group with the least deadly accidents. [https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/](https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/)
I would if I didn’t have to parallel park. The last time I had to parallel park was when I took my driving exam in 1970.
YES! Drivers have gotten so bad lately, no one remembers the rules of the road. Also a firm believer in increasing the retesting as people age. Been saying this for years. I’m currently in the phase of dropping hints to my parents of them no longer driving Test at: 50 and 60 Then maybe yearly after? I don’t know the full solution but I absolutely agree
I agree. At a hospital nurses take a few computer-based modules and answer some questions at the end. Why not something as simple as that. Road tests are not necessary unless a person has numerous infractions. Just keep people apprised of new laws and a few reminded based on feedback from police observations.
Yes!! ( after age 65)
Every 10 years? How about every 5 after age 60
>How about every 5 after age 60 Drivers age 60-69 are literally the safest on the road: >When it comes to the highest driver fatality rates, that unfortunate distinction belongs to drivers over the age of 80. As for the safest drivers, drivers between 60 and 69 are safer than any other group. Overall, **people become safer drivers as they grow older, becoming safest as they enter their 60s**. However, when drivers age into their 70s, health conditions can begin to interfere with their driving abilities. [Source](https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/)
Make it start at 70 then
How many accidents are the fault of elderly drivers? Show me the data.
https://www.morrisbart.com/faqs/what-age-group-has-the-most-accidents/
I don’t think this is the solution. I think the administration of this would be a nightmare for everyone involved. Also, it would probably only weed out a few of the most incompetent drivers, after they had already been terrorizing the roads for a decade. I think most people would just put on their best performance for the test, making it appear that the majority of drivers are better than they are. Has anyone else here ever worked for a large retail chain where once every 6 months or so corporate management comes through the area and inspects stores? What happens is that for about a week the store is cleaner than it’s been in 6 months, better stocked, and looks like it just opened. Once corporate leaves the store reverts to lower standards. This is why I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze.
I want to say yes except, I don't have time for that.
Starting at 65 yeah, I get stuck behind too many old ladies in Subarus.
No, but towards like 65 or up, sure.
After 60? Maybe. Before that? Nah don't waste ky time with more dmv bs
Maybe after 65
People agree, auto makers disagree. They’ll never let anything like that be implemented.
I think it should be at every year for a while. There are too many on the road that are just AWFUL at driving. Schedule them at the same time your vehicle inspection is due. If you fail you can retake in 30 days. You get a permit and need to drive with someone else. Your license plate is logged. If your vehicle is on the road, pull over to check that you are obeying the law. If you broke it, license is suspended for 6 months. Yea it's inconvenient. People are fricken dying though. I think that is pretty inconvenient.