Should drivers license renewal need tests?

[aimeeandbeatles]

I think there should be a driving test done when you have to renew your drivers license. maybe not every time but it would help. This is because sometimes people forgot the stuff they learned during instruction and may need a refresher course (which should be provided).

Also, as an example, my moms a terrible driver but she refuses to admit it. She nearly killed us both at one time by trying to cut off a truck (a few weeks back and the bruise is just starting to fade). She tailgated a police car and a big truck which is dangerous and shes run red lights and stuff. One time she hit a curb and blamed me for not telling her it was there, then she backed into a wall and blamed the wall (I dont get it either). I think if they had to retest her it would be taken off the road until she learns that these things are not such a good idea.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

No offense, but from what I have heard from you about your mom, she doesn't seem suited to demonstrate what is wrong with people in general.

Nevertheless, I think it is a good idea. Without thinking about it too much I advocate a mandatory brush up of one's driving skills every 20 years and every 5 years as one hits 60.

If nothing serious happens people grow careless. That's just what they do.

 

[Narz]

Should drivers license renewal need tests?

Yes definitely.

However I'm glad they don't because I would probably fail.

 

[cubsfan6506]

The tests a joke anyways, if you fail you can take it again the next day. At least in illinois.

 

[TheLastOne36]

As my dad would say, I would take away every person's drivers license in Venezuela, and make them all do the test again.

 

[warpus]

It should be done, but it would be a bureaucratic nightmare.. resulting in super-long & unacceptable waiting times

 

[SG-17]

No. I had enough of a problem getting my license in the first place. I don't want to have to do it again.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

The tests a joke anyways, if you fail you can take it again the next day. At least in illinois.

In Georgia, you typically have to wait several months before another appointment time slot opens up. I don't think we have enough DMVs.

 

[EnglishEdward]

I think there should be a driving test done when you have to renew your drivers license. maybe not every time but it would help. This is because sometimes people forgot the stuff they learned during instruction and may need a refresher course (which should be provided).

Also, as an example, my moms a terrible driver but she refuses to admit it. She nearly killed us both at one time by trying to cut off a truck (a few weeks back and the bruise is just starting to fade). She tailgated a police car and a big truck which is dangerous and shes run red lights and stuff. One time she hit a curb and blamed me for not telling her it was there, then she backed into a wall and blamed the wall (I dont get it either). I think if they had to retest her it would be taken off the road until she learns that these things are not such a good idea.

Do you think bad driving is hereditary?

 

[GoodGame]

Basically they wait to re-test if you get multiple points on your license, which may/may not be too late. It might not hurt to require tests for say every 10 years. But test for rules of the road rather than say K-turns.

 

[Quackers]

Maybe when you get to about 60...

 

[GinandTonic]

The tests a joke anyways, if you fail you can take it again the next day. At least in illinois.

The UK test is only a joke in so far as it requires a level of driving laughably superior to anything you will see on the road. The average experienced drivers real world driving would fail the driving test in a couple of minites. The up side is an astonishingly low level of RTA's. Only finland IIRC regularly beat us, and they require several hours logged on skid-pans to even take the test.

On topic, I'ld agree to an extent. The thought of the full psychotic UK test seems a bit much unless you get six months grace to re-pass or somesuch.

 

[LucyDuke]

It should be done, but it would be a bureaucratic nightmare.. resulting in super-long & unacceptable waiting times

I don't know about everywhere else, but in Rhode Island you already have to wait at the DMV for a minimum of 75 hours to do anything. It can't get worse.

Anyway, yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Make all the tests harder while we're at it. And raise the driving age to 18 and lower the drinking age to 16. And lower liability insurance rates for non-idiot drivers. And raise the driving age to 21. And make stopping at yield signs on occasions where yielding does not require stopping a felony. And raise the driving age to 25. And loosen speed limits to the speeds the roads were designed for (it's always much higher than the prescribed speed limit on roads built for cars). And raise the driving age to 800.

 

[Cutlass]

For people who have had serious moving violations, or for the old, then yes there should be tests. For most people it doesn't matter.

 

[Shadylookin]

In theory it sounds good, but in practice it would be a bureaucratic nightmare.

Besides the biggest issues are with drunk and distracted drivers. Presumably people prone to these things will sober up and turn off their cell phone for the test and thus won't get caught anyway.

 

[The Imp]

Mandatory testing for renewal by lottery after the age of 65.

 

[nc-1701]

I'm all for harder tests and better courses, my course simply involved turning and parallel parking. All the difficult things like learning how to recover from a skid on gravel at 45mph I had to learn myself (in about 0.3 seconds). Retesting would be good too, and make it real driving. Not like the actual tests which involve nothing more than parking, merging, and not speeding. They should take you out on a course with ice traps etc, and make you earn your license so you'll actually know what your doing.

Also bump up speed limits, and make using cell phones while driving a felony comparable to DUI.

 

[GenMarshall]

No, I had enough issues to deal with and had to take the drivers test TWICE inorder to get it.

 

[LucyDuke]

Build more goddamn railroads too.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

I'm all for harder tests and better courses, my course simply involved turning and parallel parking. All the difficult things like learning how to recover from a skid on gravel at 45mph I had to learn myself (in about 0.3 seconds). Retesting would be good too, and make it real driving. Not like the actual tests which involve nothing more than parking, merging, and not speeding. They should take you out on a course with ice traps etc, and make you earn your license so you'll actually know what your doing.

First I have to state that American procedures to get a driving license are often not what usually is required. I had the experience of getting DL in the South and have heard many other stories of other parts of the US and seriously- there is NO comparison to Germany. And from I have heard not to many other countries.

make using cell phones while driving a felony comparable to DUI.

Now on that I would like to call a veto. We got cell phones acting as a criminal act in Germany and it would be simply ridiculous to treat it the same as DUI.

I have done both and while DUI indeed is a significant influence on your driving ability (though I never manged to back into a parking space that well, but that is another matter), talking to somebody on a phone is ridiculous weak and cheap compared to that.

To be honest - I see how using a cell phone does distract you and hence lessens your ability to react on the road, but IMO it simply concurs to all the numerous and possible distractions you can face one the road and you simply have do deal with.

If it lessens your insurance liability - fine, it in deed does increase the risk. But don't make it criminal, that is just unjust in face of all the other distractions possible and in-prober considering the numerous occasions a call is needed.