Should licensing requirements be different for the elderly to help ensure overall driving safety on our nation’s roadways? It is a bit of a complicated issue since each person is different in how they age. The difficulty is that what may be needed for one elderly driver may be excessive or lenient for another. However, when you hear the story of Vernell Ingram, it is hard not to think that more needs to be done.
I Don’t Remember
Ms. Vernell Ingram is an 83 year old woman who in 2010 hit and nearly killed motorcyclist name Jerry Wall on Interstate 20 in Parker County Texas. A jury recently determined that Ms. Ingram mistakenly entered the freeway through the off ramp and proceeded to head the wrong way down the freeway. They also concluded that she struck Mr. Wall on his motorcycle which caused catastrophic injuries that include a leg amputation, fractures to his femur and pelvis, a broken arm, and a punctured lung. The jury’s verdict included the awarding of more than $5 million in civil damages. Vernell Ingram doesn’t even acknowledge that hit Jerry Wall. She is quoted as saying: “I don’t remember. I put it out of my mind. I’ve tried to keep some of this off of my mind.”
5th Try is a Charm
If Ms. Ingram was unable to tell the difference between an off-ramp and an on-ramp, how is it that she could have a valid Texas driver’s license? The Texas Department of Public Safety requires drivers between the ages of 79 and 84 to renew their license in person. For drivers over 79 the only testing that is required is a vision test, and driving tests are only administered if the licensing officials at the renewal office suspect that someone cannot drive safely. The renewal period is every 6 years, until you reach 85, and then the license must be renewed every two years. Following the crash Ms. Ingram was ordered to take a driving test, which she failed four times before retaining her license on the fifth try and she has no plans to give up now.
3 Strikes and Your Out
At this point, Jerry Wall is posing the question that anyone reading this post is thinking. What does it take to keep an elderly person to have their license revoked or not renewed. Brad Kizzia, the attorney for Mr. Wall stated: “In her case, she’d had multiple accidents before this devastating accident.” “There may need to be some kind of a limit,” he added. “Three strikes and you’re out. If there were three strikes and if it were the law in Texas, she would not be driving right now.”
How would you change the laws for elderly drivers in Texas? Believe it or not, there are 21 states without any special rules for older drivers.
Watch the full story on KHOU Houston
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