A few weeks ago in the Sunday Valley News, I wrote an article about driving screenings that take place at Kendal at Hanover. I was surprised by the reaction I received: It is clearly a topic that is on the minds of lots of senior citizens and their families.

I reached out to both the New Hampshire and Vermont department of motor vehicles to find out more about what residents and their families should know. The below Q&As have been edited for length, style and clarity.

New Hampshire

Larry Crowe, state coordinator, motorcycle rider education program, DMV public information Officer, New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles

Question: Does New Hampshire have automatic testing for drivers based on their age?

Answer: No.

Q: If not, has the state ever considered it?

A: RSA 263:7 used to require re-examination of every person upon reaching his or her 75th birthday. A 2011 amendment repealed those requirements. Using age as a cause for re-examination is currently specifically prohibited in law.

Q: What is the process for a concerned family member or friend to report an unsafe senior driver?

A: A letter detailing the concerns of a family member may be sent to the director of the DMV. It is important to know that these letters may not be anonymous and the identity of the sender can and will be provided to the subject of the letter upon request.

Q: What does the DMV do once a report is made?

A: All letters are reviewed by the director’s office. Depending upon the severity of concerns reported, one of three actions will be taken. The individual may be brought in for re-examination (visual acuity, knowledge test and a road exam), scheduled for a hearing, or if the concerns raise to the level of posing a danger to the public, his/her driving privileges may be immediately suspended.

It is important to know that if a re-exam or hearing is scheduled, the person may continue to operate a motor vehicle until the re-exam or hearing takes place.

Q: Can the DMV “take” someone’s license?

A: Upon review of the concerns of the reporting party and any other information available to the DMV a person’s license may be suspended immediately as allowed in RSA 263:59. In addition, a license can be suspended based on an order issued following a hearing or failure of any part of the re-examination.

Q: What requirements must be met for that to happen?

A: In order to suspend a person’s driving privilege, the individual has to fail any part of the re-examination or receive an order of suspension issued by a hearings examiner. For immediate suspension, documentation supporting the person’s improper driving as to endanger the public has to be presented to the DMV.

Q: Once a senior loses their license, can they get it back?

A: If a driver voluntarily gives up their license they may reapply at any time and complete the required examinations. If the driving privilege was removed due to any of the three actions discussed above, a person may request a hearing to have their license reinstated.

Q: How many reports does the DMV receive about senior drivers every year?

A: While the DMV does not classify these types of requests by drivers’ age, in 2017 a total of 186 requests for administrative action were received from medical practitioners (164) and family members (22).

Q: Has the number been increasing?

A: While the number varies a bit it has been fairly steady.

Q: What are unsafe driving signs that family members and friends should look for?

A: Signs to look for can include but are not limited to diminishing eyesight acuity; near accidents or unexplained damage to a vehicle and slow responses to pedestrians or traffic signals.

Vermont

David T. Evans, chief of records, driver improvement & information, Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles

Question: Does Vermont have automatic testing for drivers based on their age? If so, describe the test and the process. If not, has the state ever considered it?

Answer: Vermont does not have mandatory, or automatic retesting based on age.

Q: What is the process for a concerned family member or friend to report an unsafe, senior driver?

A: Vermont allows family members and concerned citizens to report people that they feel are unsafe drivers. Most of the reports or requests that we receive come from the law enforcement community.

Q: What does the DMV do once a report is made?

A: Once a request is made, the department begins a medical Investigation, involving sending for a universal medical report that must be completed by the person’s physician. Upon completion of this report a decision is made to require the person to be further evaluated by means of a written test, a road test, or both. If the person fails the road test, the can retake the test but are restricted to driving with a licensed driver over the age of 25.

The person is given the opportunity to retest three times. If they fail all three attempts, the person’s right to operate suspended for a period of six months before they can apply to test again.

Q: Can the DMV “take” someone’s license? What requirements must be met for that to happen?

A: This Department does have the right to suspend a person’s right to operate.

Q: Once a senior loses their license, can they get it back?

A: A person whose license is suspended may ask for a hearing. If the hearing officer finds in their favor, the suspension is removed. If the hearing officer upholds the suspension, the person must pass a driving test to have their right to operate reinstated.

Q: How many reports does the DMV receive about senior drivers every year? Has the number been increasing?

A: This department receives 5 and 10 requests for medical investigations for people with diminished capacities each week. Once the investigation is complete, those people who have been identified with diminished capacities are scheduled for a test. For the period January 1, 2017 to January 1, 2018 the Department retested 208 people.

Recently the department has begun a medical outreach, working with physicians and the medical community to identify people with diminished capacities. Since this has begun, we are receiving more complete paperwork from the medical community and anecdotally it would appear that there has been increase in investigations initiated.

In addition, this department has also begun an outreach to the law enforcement community in the form of a two hour block of instruction at the Vermont Police Academy. This course teaches officers how to identify those with diminished capacities and provides resources available to them to address this concern.

Q: What are unsafe driving signs that family members and friends should look for?

A: Family members and concerned friends should look for unexplained damage to the person’s vehicle. People should watch for changes in driving habits, general behavior, and health. Several of the signs to look for, when the person is driving, are applying the brakes and gas simultaneously, missed traffic controls, and being lost or disoriented in familiar surroundings.

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