Pols cite pros, cons of seniors road test

Legislators and 8th Essex legislative district candidates said there are pros and cons to a proposed crackdown on older, potentially accident-prone drivers.”There’s a lot of factors in play,” said state Rep. Mark Falzone, D- Saugus. “Is it right to go with an arbitrary age requirement or is a senior’s accident record a better indicator?”Accidents involving drivers in their seventies and eighties, including one that injured an 8-year-old girl in Randolph, prompted Gov. Deval Patrick last week to consider filing legislation requiring stricter license testing requirements for seniors.A senior advocacy organization has called state Rep. Brian Joyce’s proposal toughening testing for seniors discriminatory.Falzone wants to see accident statistics for older drivers before he gives serious consideration to added testing. He also wants to know how much increased vision, hearing and reflex testing for older drivers will cost.A doctor was killed last year when an elderly driver accidentally plowed through a Brockton hospital window, but Falzone and state Rep. Steven Walsh, D-Lynn, said teenaged drivers dominate accident statistics.Walsh said he would consider additional driver testing for motorists older than 85.”I have to be convinced it will work and won’t be discriminatory to older drivers,” he said.State Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein, D- Revere, said a “broad based” system of testing drivers, perhaps by mandating a road test for anyone who has been driving for 20 years or more, makes sense.”Some 70-year-olds are better drivers than 30-year-olds. I m 37 and I’m not known as the greatest driver,” she said.Republican John Blaisdell, who is running for the 8th Essex House seat representing Marblehead, Swampscott and two precincts in Lynn, said he was in favor of the vision and road test for drivers age 85 and older.”Nobody wants to be the one to take away anyone’s independence but you have to put public safety first and for that reason I am in favor of the proposed legislation,” he said. “To those who say the legislation picks on older drivers, I disagree. As a former public safety officer I know firsthand that some people do not operate as effectively at age 85 as they did when they were younger.”Independent hopeful Mark Barry said he has concerns about the proposal and said instead of possibly discriminating against the elderly stricter measures should be put in place for all drivers.”Maybe every 10 years we should all be required to take a road test,” Barry said. “My worry is that if we implement a blanket statement based on age it takes away another liberty. I would want to look more closely at the proposal and get some input from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Maybe some sort of restrictions could be imposed in relation to driving hours or not allowing the elderly to drive in poor weather conditions.”I am certainly concerned about public safety but against taking away any liberties based on an age-defined requirement,” Barry said.Democratic candidate Lori Ehrlich did not return a call to The Item.