Russell Kerr, 92, stars in a video that has now gone viral. Unfortunately, the performance is far from flattering. The 92-year-old Wisconsin man is shown in the video below pulling out of his parking space and crashing into nine or ten cars. Police have decided that Kerr will not be charged after concluding that he got his foot stuck in the accelerator. Fortunately, no one including Kerr was hurt.
The accidents in Mayville near Milwaukee were not the result of criminal conduct, even recklessness, in the judgment of the police. I would however dearly love to be on the call of Kerr to his insurance companies when he gets to the part of explaining that it was not one but ten cars and no they were hit separately with a 60 second interval.
Notably, Wisconsin is one of the states that does not have a special provision for elderly drivers in terms of testing or shorter licensing periods.
Source: Fox
All I said to my Mother was “how would you feel if you hit a puppy” and that was that. She hit a puppy, not her fault, years ago. But she cried for days.
Paul Newman, at age 70, was a driver on the team that won their class at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Morgan Shepherd is still racing in NASCAR at 71. I’d love to see Newman giving some some of the young’uns on this thread a driving test.
I think our albatross is exhibiting signs of early onset in that toxic thread. It’s close to being put on the EPA Superfund list.
Pogo, That is a sobering statistic. I have eaten a lotta garlic all my life. I’m hoping that helps w/ the dementia. None in my family, either side.
Nearly half of people age 85 and older (45 percent) have Alzheimer’s disease.
I do not propose mandatory testing by age.
Accidents in this age group should prompt testing, at a minimum.
We need safer and driverless cars, in my opinion.
DBQ, A graduated testing would seem to be the most equitable way to handle this. I don’t know how states do it? My semi educated regimen would be every 5 years in your 70’s. Every 3 years in your 80’s. And every 1-2 years 90 and over. I would be interested in Pogo’s regimen.
Believe what you wish to folks, I do not know enough facts to have any judgment.
I don’t think you need to be tested EVERY year over the age of 70. About every 3 to 5 years would likely suffice and catch physical deterioration in reflexes, vision, hearing, cognition, mobility and other things that creep up slowly upon us as we age.
If your accelerator pedal is stuck. Turn of the key and put on the brake.
Yes. I know in new cars the steering wheel may lock, but that’s better…..(.in a parking lot…..not on a winding road…yikes.) than continuing to go back and forth and back and forth hitting cars.
Sorry. I don’t buy the stuck pedal excuse.
Pogo – I am going with the cops on the getting the foot stuck on the accelerator reason. If it was bad driving he would have stopped after two or three cars. I think he was hitting the cars to slow himself down.
On the insurance side, he probably hasn’t had a claim against his insurance in 40 years so he should be golden. They should even raise his rates.
And, testing drivers over age 70 ever year is ageism. Those who supported this should be ashamed. There is a problem with driving and dementia or Alzheimer’s and that is another issue.
How do you blame having your foot stuck on the gas when he’s going back and forth from drive to reverse? He obviously just said “screw it. I’m not in the mood to give a crap” and bashed all those people’s cars, next time will it be 20 people at a Farmer’s Market like happened here in LA? TAKE HIS LICENSE.
Anyone up for old fart drag racing elimination series?
“Not one “morning” person asking if the foot-stuck-in-the-accelerator excuse was legitimate or not.”
Mostly because no one believes it.
Face-saving fiction.
Well, Nick, it’s also amazing to me how the discussion went immediately to whether old farts should have driver’s licenses or not. Not one “morning” person asking if the foot-stuck-in-the-accelerator excuse was legitimate or not. Cops on the scene seemed to think it was. I can imagine how it could be. Snow all around and possibly all over the boots the man was wearing. Boots that were not what he normally wore, but which were required because of the snow. Foot slips off the pedal and gets stuck. Man panics and shifts automatic transmission too far from drive into reverse and back into drive, missing park and neutral. Car lurches on crashing into several cars in the process. Just another reason for so many old people to want to live in places like Phoenix instead of the cold, snowy north. I haven’t had to deal with snow on oversized boots for almost five decades now. Don’t know why anyone would want to. It’s in the 80’s here today while everyone in Wisconsin and other cold states are freezing their butts off.
Karen
When our son was old enough we stipulated that he would have to take a course. We also laid on the horror stories. He put it off a year. Then embarrassed having to take the bus, ask for rides, etc. I taught him in my Ford Ranger, manual. This is important. A kid learning on a manual makes for a closer connection to the actuality of driving. An automatic is once removed. I let him use the truck. In a school where the kids get BMWs for their 16th birthday, he felt kind of cool. The rear, unloaded, tends to fishtail if you turn too fast. This was a great reminder for him. It is anything but fast, and he liked being different.
Now he’s in University, driving a motorcycle, and so far so good. The thing about a motorcycle is if a kid learns well on a motorcycle, he or she will be many times more aware in a car. It’s not only the racing but kids are scatterbrained and forget that the car doesn’t drive itself. Ya gots ta stay on em.
Please note this morning. It is consistent w/ most mornings. The morning folks have good, substantive, sometimes lighthearted, discussions. It all changes as the later in the day folks arrive. Just sayn’.
DBQ and the plumber doing a Thelma and Louise. We must laugh @ things that make us cry as well.
Having the ability to drive a car gives people the freedom to go where they want, when they want and not have to rely on others. However, the safety of everyone involved…..driver, passengers, pedestrians, other drivers ….is more important that maintaining Grandpa’s independence.
It is very sad to see people lose that independence. It is a big blow to many of us who grew up in the culture of cars. In our area we have NO public transport. No cabs. No bus lines. No alternatives. When our elderly lose their driving ability it spells the end of the road for life as they know it. They either rely on others, beg friends and family to help them run errands, shop for food, get their prescriptions, get the mail and a multitude of ordinary tasks that we all take for granted…..or else.
Unless they have family nearby that they can rely on or with whom they can move in with, which in many cases they don’t…..the or else, is to sell their beloved home and be forced to move to an assisted living facility with strangers and uncaring staff. In a city that is unfamiliar to them and which they probably hate.
It spells the end of the road. Depression sets in and death is not far off. Nevertheless, people who are (ahem) of a certain age need to be screened to determine if they are still capable of driving.
I agree with Issac. It is tough and the alternative of harming others or themselves is there and must be considered.
When I or my husband get to this point, we plan on holding hands and just jumping off of a cliff.
Used to.
No one wants geriatricians, so I left.
Pogo, I didn’t know you worked in geriatrics.