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Missouri Makes Ability, Not Age, the Driving ConcernArticle Written By:
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| (The following is a summary of a story written in USA Today about Missouri's impaired driver law. For a full account, visit the USA Today's website for information on purchasing the complete article.) "Maurice Godfrey, 81, still keeps his Buick Regal parked in the garage, even though he tearfully mailed his driver's license back to the state of Missouri this spring. Godfrey lost his license after his doctor and therapists reported that he suffers from dementia, has hearing and vision loss, and has no business being out on the road. He's one of about 700 people swept up in a (new) Missouri law that could influence the way America deals with older drivers................" The article summarizes the Missouri impaired driver law, which allows those closest to a possibly unfit driver to report the person's condition confidentially. Also, the law is not age-specific, but is geared towards impaired drivers of all ages. These drivers must prove competence behind the wheel or lose their licenses. This law is supported by the AARP, the Alzheimer's Association, and the AAA.There is also a summary of the story of Jason Suroff, and the lobbying of Sheldon and Karen Suroff to pass this law. Finally, the article includes statistics on the aging population,
plus a chart of the fatality rates of senior citizen drivers. |