NH Rep. Trying To Get Rid Of State Test For Elderly Drivers
CONCORD, N.H. (CBS) -- New Hampshire State Representative Robert Williams is 84 years old, and he is not a big fan of mandatory road tests for seniors.
"It's very discriminatory," explains the Concord Democrat. "Also, it's totally ineffective. It's just not needed, and it puts seniors through a terrible experience."
Age alone, Willams says, is not reason enough to deny someone a driver's license renewal. That's why he's sponsoring a bill to do away with the Granite State's requirement that every driver over the age of 75 prove they are physically and mentally qualified to keep their license.
WBZ-TV's Jim Armstrong reports.
He's been at it for years, but this session, the idea seems to have some traction. His bill just passed the transportation committee on a unanimous vote. It's expected to sail through the N.H. House next week; Williams is optimistic for its chance in the senate.
"There are better ways," he says. "It doesn't have to be done on chronological age."
Instead of the age-based requirement, Williams favors a medical review board that could deny a driver's license renewal based on the recommendations of family members or doctors. Massachusetts has a similar mechanism to keep people with medical or cognitive impairments off the road.
Williams says seniors will be less upset to lose their licenses for a medical reason rather than just because they're seniors.
