Difficult question to answer. Because the truth is every situation is different. Take a look at one senior citizen from the Town of Maine in New York: he’s been driving for 75 years and still to this day has a clean record: no traffic tickets, no accidents. Surprising? Maybe. He’s 91 years old, by the way. There are several people of the same age you can probably recall in your own family that might be suffering certain conditions that prohibit any kind of driving. Still to this day, you have the moron out there who can’t pay attention on the road, and he might be only 40 years old. As said before, every situation is different.
The thing is some states don’t have elderly driving laws. The issue about when to “hand over the car keys” is left up to the family or the senior citizen driver. You should be responsible enough to know when you shouldn’t be driving anymore, basically. Look at the statistics, though, regarding automobile accidents; according to the numbers, while teen drivers represent probably the largest percentage of those involved in accidents, senior citizens–specifically of the age of 60 and over–typically have the highest fatality rate. No matter how you look at it, the aging process slows down all motor functions and reaction time, even weakens eyesight. On the road, that can be a serious issue. It makes sense that senior citizens represent a certain type of automobile accident–the fatal type.
It’s a difficult issue–and can be an emotional one. Let’s say this, for sure: it’s definitely a ton better than having a government tell you you’re done behind the wheel than your scared adult daughter or son tell you, right? Think about it.