Originally posted in allaboutestates.ca on April 25, 2014:
As of April 21, 2014, Ontario drivers will have some new licensing guidelines which impact drivers over age 80. Every 2 years, the process now includes a 90 minute renewal session. During this session, the candidate will:
– “take a vision test
– join others in a 45-minute interactive group education session about new traffic laws, how aging affects driving, tips for older drivers and road signs
– take a multiple-choice test about rules of the road and traffic signs
– complete an in-class screening exercise and
– undergo a driving record review”.
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation website provides the following information on the in-class screening:
– “you will have 10 minutes to finish the exercise
– the exercise is not dependent on language and can’t be taken orally
– information will be available at Ontario.ca/seniordriver, including samples of the screening exercise you will complete
– you don’t need to prepare, but you can take the practice screening exercise (PDF) to help you understand the instructions and feel comfortable with the exercises
– the screening exercise consists of two assessments of a person’s cognitive capabilities relevant to driving. Each of the assessments taps into a different type of ability:
– clock drawing: measures a driver’s capacity to recognize and organize information (visuospatial ability)
– letter cancellation: measures a driver’s capacity to coordinate thinking with doing (psychomotor speed).”
In case you wanted to do a little additional reading, the booklet “Aging and Driving: Ontario’s Licence Renewal Program for Drivers Age 80 and Above” is available as a free download.
Safe driving is everyone’s concern- regardless of age. I have blogged extensively on this issue and it is one the remains close to me. See previous blogs including: Driver, Driver, Behind the Wheel and The Older Driver, Part 2, While I am still a strong supporter of the ‘behind the wheel’ assessment, I think the Ministry is taking steps in the right direction.