More hard to understand policymaking in DC

By Damian Dovarganes, AP. George Russell Weller, then 86, killed 10 people and injured more than 70 when he drove his car into a crowded farmers market in Santa Monica, Calif., on July 16, 2003.

There was a proposal to require drivers of a certain age to be required to take road tests to get their drivers licenses renewed, because of the drop off in driving skills associated with aging. This is an identified problem nationally.

Instead of recognizing this and talking about the needs, DC City Council has proposed legislation disallowing such requirements. See this letter to the editor by Councilmember Graham defending this, "A Burden Older D.C. Drivers Don't Need."

As well as "As older drivers balk at road tests, D.C. poised to loosen rules ," from the Examiner and previous coverage in the Post, "Senior Ed," subtitled "The District should not retreat on testing for older driver.," From the editorial:

The department is trying to enforce a law requiring drivers age 75 and older to take written and road tests every five years when their licenses come up for renewal, in addition to taking vision tests and getting medical certification. Angry seniors have charged age discrimination, and sadly there's a move afoot, led by D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), to eliminate the safety measures.

Meanwhile, earlier in the week, USA Today had an extensive piece about this subject, "Older, dangerous drivers a growing problem." And these sidebars:

INTERACTIVE: How aging affects the ability to drive
RESTRICTIONS: A state-by-state look at the laws
WARNING SIGNS: When is it time to put brakes on elderly?

Also see this column from Neal Peirce, "Elderly Driver Crashes: Where Are Our Options?."