Regulate new drivers and school-run mums

THE proposal by certain sectors to ban the elderly from driving cars is disgraceful.

Elderly drivers are statistically far safer drivers than drivers in the youngest age group, and we are also more considerate to other road users, as we are rarely in a hurry.

If the government wishes to make roads safer, a good place to start would be in restricting new drivers from driving large, powerful, fast cars, which they often drive in a stupidly aggressive manner. In fact, there should be much tougher regulation of “high-performance” cars generally, with drivers being required to take a special driving test to prove they can drive them safely.

Tougher regulation of drivers on “the school run” would also help, as “school-run mums” often seem to spend more time looking into the back of their cars than through the windscreen. I make a point of not being anywhere near our local comprehensive school when the cage doors are due to be opened!

And a final thing for the government to remember when they consider this ban: we may be elderly, but, unlike the young, we are much more likely to use our votes.

Ian Mcnicholas

Ebbw Vale