[Closed] Should over 70's be required to have a camera in their car?

That and/or a black box.

Why limit this to over 70s?

I strongly believe that everyone should have to retake their driving test every 10 years.

It should be mandatory for everyone to have a camera in their car.

A camera in your car would have proved the same thing as a camera in his.

perhaps the question should really be "Why didn't you have a camera in your car?"

At the age of 70 you have too retake your driving exam in order to get a new licence and then repeated every 3 years, to make sure your vision is up to par.

Err, what?

I'd happily see everyone having to have a camera in their car. And a black box.

Also over 70s dont have to redo any exam/test. They may be required due to what they declare to the DVLA at the time of renewal. Then every 3 years.
Agreed with tom, we should all be made to retake a form of the test every 10 years. It would help feed the economy and also save money in the long run due to the better average standard of driving.

Should it be made mandatory for everyone over 70 to have a camera in their car?

You could make a better case for closer monitoring of the under 30s. More collisions, and generally at higher speeds. But put a camera in everyone's car and I think you'd see a marked improvement in driving standards.

Should it be made mandatory for everyone over 70 to have a camera in their car?

Yes. As well as everyone under the age of 70 as well.
While we're at it, can pop in a black box too.

And possibly something more secure than a remote key to open it, start it and drive it off. Let's face it, if you need to use a fingerprint or facial recognition to open your mobile phone, it can't be too difficult to require that to start a car.

Oh and hook it to a breathalyser too, that way the car refuses to start if you blow over the limit. In fact it should sit there flashing its lights with a recorded voice saying "DRUNK DRIVER, CALL THE POLICE!"

But put a camera in everyone’s car and I think you’d see a marked improvement in driving standards.

It's been my experience that, if you put a camera in your own car, you'll see a marked improvement in your own driving standards.

Leaving aside Flaperon picking up the first point I was going to make

Why limit this to over 70s?

I strongly believe that everyone should have to retake their driving test every 10 years.

This. Pretty sure the stats on 72 year old drivers are no worse than 50 year old drivers, or 30 year old drivers. And I'm speaking as a 51 year old who is finding taking his 17 year old out for driving practice educational to both of us when it comes to what learners are taught these days

@flaperon Sorry got that wrong. Licence just needs renewing at 70 then renewing every 3 years.

Glad I'm not the only one who sees a black box in every car as a good thing.
Anyone consistently driving shite, too fast, etc, just hike their insurance premiums.
The tech needs to improve slightly though - my son has one, and sometimes the scores are a bit wayward.

Whilst we are on this subject, the one that really grates for me is people keeping their license when they rack up points due to "hardship" or other crap... sorry, but if you have a job that requires a driving license, then don't drive like a dick... is it that hard?!

I’d happily see everyone having to have a camera in their car. And a black box.

Anyone consistently driving shite, too fast, etc, just hike their insurance premiums.

Annual driving tests. If the person tested achieves a certain level they could be given a three year licence.

Cameras in all cars. Why not? They’re everywhere else.

At the age of 70 you have too retake your driving exam in order to get a new licence and then repeated every 3 years, to make sure your vision is up to par.

Trip to Barnard Castle?

Obvious joke is obvious.

Cameras for everyone I'm on board with.

Black boxes not so much. An acceptable manouver and speed on an empty dry road would be horrendously innapropriate in the rain outside a school. The black box punishes/rewards you equally for both; and leads to a "paint by numbers" approach.

Knowing you are being recorded causes you to consider your actions and make proactive choices in your driving style.

Oh, and a compusory retest for anyone at fault in an accident.

I think we should have a sliding scale. Take an advanced test and your retest us in 10 years. Retake the L-test every 3. Maybe introduce a mid level which retests every 5 years.

Change the culture so people realise driving is a privilege rather than a right.

Who controls the cameras?

The black box punishes/rewards you equally for both; and leads to a “paint by numbers” approach.

Hence, "tech needs to improve"

[i]Annual driving tests[/i]
You know how difficult it already is to book a driving test?!

Change the culture so people realise driving is a privilege rather than a right.

50 year project right there, two generations, minimum.

Here's my take on what should be done:

Camera in every car.
A short assessment drive 2 years after passing your test to coincide with the 6/12 points limit changing for new drivers.
A short assessment drive every 10 years.
In both cases if you fail the assessment drive you have to take a refresher lesson then be reassessed. Fail that and it's retest time.
As you get past 70 you have to be assessed every 5 years, past 80 and it's every 3.
No leeway for racking up 12 points.

This is all based on me having a dashcam and having had a job where the vans also had cameras and we were assessed every 12 months. Driving standards improved markedly when the scheme was introduced.

Annual driving tests
You know how difficult it already is to book a driving test?!

Just think what marvellous things could have been done with all the people who are soon to be arsing about with Lorries in Kent.

Whilst we are on this subject, the one that really grates for me is people keeping their license when they rack up points due to “hardship” or other crap… sorry, but if you have a job that requires a driving license, then don’t drive like a dick… is it that hard?!

I couldn't agree more. Driving is a privilege, NOT a right. If you need a car for your livelihood then play nicely, it's not that difficult.

I'd also look at short term bans rather than fines / points. For example, first offence 3 points and fine as per now. Second offence, 2 week ban and fine. Third offence 3 month ban and fine. Fourth offence, 12 month ban and retake your driving test before getting your license back. This will ONLY affect repeat offenders. Lose your license 3 times and that's it, no more driving for you.

Obviously this won't apply to STW driving gods who are making progress...

An acceptable manouver and speed on an empty dry road would be horrendously innapropriate in the rain outside a school. The black box punishes/rewards you equally for both; and leads to a “paint by numbers” approach.

Who controls the cameras?

The same people that currently control them.

At the moment, the person who owns the camera controls it unless the police seize it as evidence. Deliberately tampering with or withholding that evidence is an offence.

Ask the insurance underwriters which section of the population has the worst drivers. There's a reason insurance is expensive for the under-25s.

Black box in very car? Hell yes.

Cameras on every cat? Ditto.

Coyote - would you ban me for two sp30 ( basic speeding) in about 70 miles on the same trip?

Ist one 58 in a 50 - I missed the sign to say it was a 50 limit. Second one 78 in a 70 - booting it to get past a truck before the dual carriageway ends. Both mobile cameras. Both my fault. No one was inconvenienced let alone harmed

Both on the A9

I can see the ERG being fully supportive. Not.

Cameras on every cat? Ditto.

[quote="scotroutes"]Cameras on every cat

The internet would be full in 5 minutes if every cat had a camera

Cameras on every cat?

I'll wear one but I bet Cougar wouldn't

I am surprised that cameras have not become more prevalent. I would have thought it would make good business sense for insurance companies to give free cameras and a 10% discount or more for fitting the camera

I can see cameras becoming ubiquitous but am surprised at the low takeup so far. If I owned a car i would have a camera

Ist one 58 in a 50 – I missed the sign to say it was a 50 limit. Second one 78 in a 70 – booting it to get past a truck before the dual carriageway ends. Both mobile cameras. Both my fault. No one was inconvenienced let alone harmed

tjagain
Full Member

Coyote – would you ban me for two sp30 ( basic speeding) in about 70 miles on the same trip?

Ist one 58 in a 50 – I missed the sign to say it was a 50 limit. Second one 78 in a 70 – booting it to get past a truck before the dual carriageway ends. Both mobile cameras. Both my fault. No one was inconvenienced let alone harmed

Poor observation then not judging the overtake/dual ending properly? It's not exactly a solid argument you're making there

would you ban me for two sp30 ( basic speeding) in about 70 miles on the same trip?

I'd need to review the camera footage first.

I think better testing/eyesight tests need to be introduced. FIL was a shocker - he kept chips away in business due to the number of parking crashes he had. He wouldn't stop driving, despite being told not too in later years. Already had dodgy sight, and then in later years was suffering with COPD and would drive his car with the oxygen bottle/mask on (invalidates insurance).

His driving wasn't good even before ill health ! He only eventually gave up driving when he physically couldn't get to the car.

Mashr - I totally accept that the two speeding fines were my fault completely and can be seen especially the first one as poor observation. I just wondered if coyote thought that worth a banning. the overtake was fine in that it was not that close to the end of the dual - 2 cars came past after me. i was just getting it done quickly.

Are we not missing the point that soon self driving cars will replace any human taking control of 2 tons of steel. These cars will not speed, no one will be making progress, or not stopping at stop signs and the cars will be talking to each other to prevent most crashes. Anyone still driving one of those 'historic' vehicles will have to pay for 2 sentry cars at the front and back to ensure they are safe.

My Mrs is a GP. She was getting out of her car yesterday and heard a massive bang. Turns out an elderly patient had got in her brand new Volvo, put it in reverse, panicked, slammed the accelerator. In the 10m or so she travelled she got so much speed up that she smashed over a huge kerb, took off and hit the surgery building with such force that it looks like she has caused significant structural damage. Luckily there was no-one behind her.

The scary thing is that a few years ago a near identical accident happened on our high street and two pedestrians were nearly killed. Husband and wife both lost legs by being crushed against a wall. The 82 yr. old driver escaped any sanction.

I was thinking about this and the Volvo million lives advert. So many advances in car design this sort of accident should/could be impossible in the near future.

Every new car should have cameras and black boxes. I also support speed limiters and use of other smart tech. This should be by car, not by age of driver.

Cameras - no
Black Boxes - no
More autonomous control - no
More Ruddy Touch Screen controls - no
More testing of over 70s - yes. Doesn't need to be a full test, just a basic competency test.

I'm a strong believer that all these systems make people lazy and less aware of what they are doing.

What difference would it have made if they had a camera. They would have still driven into your car and it would still be their fault.

I'd like every car driver to have a member of the DVLA (or maybe the stasi) to sit with them at all times on every journey, to make sure they follow the highway code. If you make any mistakes then you lose your drivers license for 10 years.