Oldmobiles roll for grey drivers: dubbed "Oldmobiles", cars are being developed by several manufacturers specifically adapted for the capabilities of "older" drivers. They have chunky steering wheels to suit frail hands, built-in eyesight tests and the capability to park themselves in the tightest spaces at the touch of a button. These vehicles could be on the road in two years. The manufacturers hope that they will reduce accident figures and reduce "road rage" incidents which can be provoked when motorists become frustrated with elderly people's erratic judgement and slow driving. Researchers at companies including BMW, Rover, Ford and Toyota believe that the "grey market" is crucial to sales as the number of older drivers increases.

The "parking button" uses built in radar to measure distances to obstacles and a built in computer then calculates the required movements and takes over operation of the vehicle (one hopes the system does not "crash" too often!). In-motion guidance and speed control proposed by BMW uses roadside transmitters and video imaging to provide lateral and "car following" guidance which accounts for speed limits, cross winds and road alignment. A "heads up" information display will provide enlarged video images of road signs.

One UK motoring organization spokesman welcomed the developments and a Motoring Correspondent commented "We are forever being told that young people are the hooligans of the road, but I am far more often inconvenienced by old drivers. A paralytic 18 year old could react faster than a stone cold sober 80 year old". (Source: Sunday Times (UK) Dec. 28 1997.)

Incompetent drivers kept off Alberta roads: "She's 65 and a danger behind the wheel". A driver was observed making a simple turn, instead she missed the road signs and fully intended to accelerate into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the freeway. A true case caught on video, only the quick response and steel nerves of a driving evaluator avoided what could have been a serious or fatal accident.

The driver is now safely off the road after taking part in a program aimed at scientifically identifying incompetent drivers which is being carried out under the direction of Allen Dobbs at the University of Alberta. In Canada major injuries among seniors are up about 21% over the past 4 years while young people's injuries are going down says Dobbs. "We don't think the changes that come with normal aging account for much, we think this big upturn in crashes with older people is really due to a relatively small subset of people. Statistics show that about 8% of the population beyond 65 suffers dementia, but adding other impairments something like 1 in 4 people over age 65 has some type of impairment."

While most older drivers are fine, as they begin to notice signs of aging they limit their driving. However it is people who don't recognise, or accept, their limitations who cause problems. The primary cause of accidental death in people aged 65 to 74 is traffic accidents. Older victims are 4 times more likely to end up in hospital than younger victims, their stays are longer and they often don't recover as completely.

Four Canadian provinces do not require doctors to report questionable drivers to the licensing authority. If they can pass a simple road test, they just keep on going. However, impaired judgement does not always show up on a road test, even if drivers are retested based on age. However, simply limiting driving based on medical condition can be ineffective. Finland and Sweden for example have the same crash rates but one tests drivers, the other does not.

To assist doctors, and to cut down on potentially enormous social costs, the Univ. of Alberta, Alberta Motor Association and the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital initiated the "Evaluations for At-Risk Experienced Drivers" program and have developed it into a service for other jurisdictions through "Drive-Able Testing Ltd. (Source: WCTA Newsletter/ Edmonton Journal.)

If you really want to go to hell, take the M25: it's official, a survey released in December 1997 by the (UK) Road Haulage Association (Trucking industry) identifies 3 separate sections of the M25 (the notorious freeway ring around London) as the "most congested in Britain". They are followed by "Spaghetti Junction", the interchange between the M5 and M6 northwest of Birmingham. The Association's spokesman said: "As an organization we are all for the "greening" of transport, with more freight on to rail, and more car users turning to public transport. But the inescapable fact is that, if we are to move towards an environmentally sustainable and economically competitive transport system, we have got to put investment into the road network". Some sections on the list are already being improved (including the A30 Exeter to Honiton), others are "waiting for funding" as Toll Roads are being proposed in the UK. (Source: The Times (UK) Dec. 1997.)