8ll.1 riles elderly
LJ"U�I.� •. nl,G - E\len Secretary
of State Richard Austin - ODe
of almost 5()O.OOO Michigan
drivers over age 70 0 could
be affected by bills requiring
mandatoryretestiDg for that age
group - missed ODe q . n
on t year' • en renewal
exam.
-rhere' plenty of evideDce
that grow older, eyes will
dim and reflexes will ow: . d
Austin, 76 "Even after 55,
certain abilities deterior e."
, Austin, who voluntarily
retests for his license each year,
trongly supports the two legis:'
I tive bills and defends man­
datory retesting and in-person
registration for senior s a
safety precaution.
And w t question did Aus­
tin miss on his exam? He isn't
telling.
"Oh, I don't remember exact­
ly what it "he·d with a
smile, shrugging off the ques­
tion and changing the subject.
Tb .two bills, po ed by
Rep. Walter DeLange, R­
Kent 000, nd Sen. Jerome .
Hart, D-Saginaw, call for reim­
posing mandatory in-per on
registration and retesting for
driver 71 and older. ,
DeLange's bill, House biD
4716, also stipulates that senior
citizen ho complete driver
ety cour e every eight years
could op to renew by mail.
S nior Citizens and their
legal dvocat s want to put th .
brakes on these mea ure ,
which they consider biased and
discriminatory. Their opposi­
tion i so trong that both bills
have grown "as stale as last
week' doughnuts" while sitting
motionless in committees, a
legislative ai said.
The optio of driver's license
renewal by mail was enacted in
1983 by the Secretary of State's
Office as co t-cutting
measure during the recessio of
the early 19805.
A restrictio to require in­
person registration and ret -
ing for senior citizens nul­
lified one year later on the basis
of age discrimination.
As of Feb. 18, there were
234,735 licensed driver in
Michigan ages 70 to 74. An d­
ditional 250,365 are 75 years of
age and older. . .
Although no tansncs are
available that sho older
driver have unusually high ac­
cident r tes, the state ts to
identify potentially unfit dJWe
before they even . behind the
heel, said Secretary of S e
media relation director
Elizabeth Boyd.
"Since the 71-year-old age
restrictio eliminated (for
. -in registr tion), we've had
ore co plaints fro re tives
concemad that their loved
u1dn't drive: she said, d-.
ding the office receives between
4,200 and 4,300 such super-
. ·on requ yearly.
The bills are drawing fire
Crom senior citizens chocat
groups, 0 y the mandatory
in-person registration and test­
ing discriminates against older
drivers.
Many of these driver -
some of whom have operated
cars since "they were crank­
started by hand _: also are
angered their experience ap­
pears to be discounted because
said he thinks road safety could
be improved by taking a dif­
ferent tack, ch improving
road surfaces and installing bet­
ter signs for drivers with niP.t
blindness.
• All drivers, regardles of
age, should be re ested every
four year," White said. e
state shouldn't approach this in
a punitive way, if to say, 'Let's
take these old people off the
road:
"Your car is a lifeline to your
community," he said. "Requir­
ing seniors to ret and register
in person when th r don't
havetodothatsh a basic in­
sensitivity.·
of age.
Olivia Maynard, directo of
the S e Office of Services to '
the Aging. said she thinks high­
way safety can be guaranteed in
other ways.
"Once you .. take someone's
car. away, you take away their
freedom," Maynard said.
Strong opposition from
Maynard's office and other·
senior citizen groups have
helped stall both bills for
months. DeLange's legislation
is "not getting a good �ponse·
"Seniors ar absolutely
Curio and tha opposition is
what's holding e bill in com­
mittee," Johnso said." really
doubt it will co e out this ses­
sion, and I'm n sure if Sen.
Hart will want to reintroduce it
in the next sessio ."
Dr. Stuart ite, legislative
director of se on aging,
Me tOO.,
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