Let’s say that you had to let one of 2 people drive your car across country encountering almost every driving condition that exists; Heavy traffic on freeways, wet highways at night, foggy streets, crowded parking lots, etc.
You could choose between a 99 year old person who 83 years of driving experience or the most mature 13-14 year old that you know and the 13 year old has been practicng driving everyday for a month but only in large parking lots.
The rules are you have to choose one of these people to drive your personal car and you can go along for the ride but you cannot take over driving or backseat drive.
If the mature 13 year old that you know is short then the peddles will have extenders.
99 year old
Pro: 83 years of driving experience
Con: Slower refelexes, may drive too slowly
13-14 year old
Pro: Quick reflexes, better eyesight
Con: Inexperience, may not know how to handle heavy traffic, may drive to fast
Having taught my three teenagers to drive, and having seen my family take away the keys from my grandfather when he was 95, I’m familiar with both sides of the arugment.
I gotta go with the 99 year old. You don’t survive 83 years of driving by being impulsive.
Assuming both would be following the rules of the road (and if I were in the car they’d better be) then the quick reflexes of the teenager would win out over the the experience of the senior citizen.
DISCLAIMER: The last time I did something really stupid behind the wheel, I was spared an accident (and resulting insurance charges) because a teenage girl managed to swerve, brake and steer her car to a stop without hitting anything. There were no more than six inches of clearance between her car and anything around it when the squealing stopped but a miss is as good as a mile as they say.
Assuming that they are both my relatives, then I would go with the teenager. I would be riding with them so I could coach the teenager each step of the way. The teenager would also know that an ear twist would be .25 seconds away if they did anything stupid. I drove quite well at that age all over the place even by myself.
The ancient person might be able to drive for a little while in their own little world but the safety mechanisms just aren’t there. Me: “Please watch the other lanes!”. Ebeneezar: “Trains! Trains! I’m hittin’ the ditch”.
This one’s pretty easy. On such a long drive, the teenager could learn a lot and get better. Plus you could provide the necessary “experience factor” The old guy… Well, if he’s got the experience, so what. He might die, plus his ability to focus for a long time may be low, plus well… he’s too damn old!
The real question, I think is, at what age would you take the old guy over the teenager.
But old age is a hard thing to grasp. I mean a guy who would live to be 120 is almost certainly compentent enough to take you across the country at age 80. But then, somebody who appears to be nearing death isn’t going to be much good.
But lets say given the average guy, who will probably spend the last 5 years in declining alertness starting around age 80 (being generous), I’d prefer him around age 70 over the teenager. He still has slower reflexes, but all of that experiences at his alertness level is sure to be helpful.
But you know. With older drivers. They seem to be easily identifiable on the road. They are always going slow and driving an old folks car. I usually can pick them out and take necessary action. The other drivers on the road are a big factor for the interstate driving because I think that’s the hardest part. If they see a slow cadaillac going down I 40, Although most old-timers are seen around town and not on Interstate Highways, people will note it and react. But a young kid is something you don’t see, and its harder to notice the bad drivers on the young end of the scale.
99 year old. Old people drive slow and experience counts for something. I let my wife’s 15 year old niece talk me into letting her drive my car once and she almost gave me about six heart attacks on the way home. Never again.
