Some senior citizens say the elderly shouldn't drive

As the investigation continues into the tragic deaths of a father and his 5-year-old girl who were hit and killed by an 86-year-old driver in Murray, so does the debate over elderly drivers.

Several elderly residents have told the Deseret Morning News they don't believe people their age should be on the road.

Louise Clark, 89, has never been in an accident or received a ticket. But she voluntarily stopped driving last month after experiencing brief dizzy spells in her house and also because stiffness in her neck prevents her from looking completely behind her.

"I want to drive. I love to drive. But if I'm on the road I want everybody else out. (Driving) is one of hardest things in the world to give up," she said. "If there's one little instance when (an elderly driver's mind) is blurred, a lot of things can happen in that instance."

Rich Gilliat sent the News an e-mail saying elderly drivers should be tested more frequently and in actual driving conditions rather than a parking lot.

"The whole program needs tightening up because driving 4,000-pound cars is a privilege not a right. The idea of hitting a small child scares the daylights out of me."

Others, however, question whether singling out elderly drivers is discrimination. One e-mail to the News questioned whether people who were over a certain weight would be next to have special restrictions against them if the elderly were given restrictions.

Another anonymous e-mail to the News conveyed the belief that seniors are being picked on.

"I am very upset about the fact that every time a senior citizen has an accident (fatal or not) they are ready to pull all seniors' licenses," the e-mail stated. "I say give the party at fault a ticket ... don't punish everyone. One senior makes a mistake and causes an accident, and we all are going to be punished if some authorities have their way."

Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, sponsored a bill in February that would have allowed a person to confidentially ask the state to retest a driver. Although the bill was intended for all drivers, it soon became synonymous with elderly drivers.

"I think I got beat up enough last year," Christensen said. "Everyone felt like I was trying to get even with grandma."

The bill failed to pass the Utah Senate, in part because some felt it was discriminating against elderly drivers.