Here’s a question I received and answered on the now-defunct website AllExperts.com:

Do you feel there should be a road traffic rule for driving age, upper limit, i.e. old people who are 65 and above should not be allowed to drive private and self owned vehicles? Do you feel because of old age, eyesight, the chances of accidents happening might be more o the road and because of this shouldn’t there be a rule prohibiting them to drive vehicles on the road ?

Thanks for the great question.  Because you asked for my opinion, I’ll certainly provide it.  No, absolutely not.  There should not be a legal cut-off where anyone over a certain age cannot drive.  That’s age discrimination, and it’s not only illegal, it’s unfair.  Many people continue to drive safely into their 80’s and beyond.  At the same time, many people are driving unsafely and illegally at EVERY age.
The best possible solution would be for ALL drivers to periodically undergo re-testing, both of their knowledge and their practical driving ability.  Every two years would be ideal, every four would be more practical.  

Yes, our senses and reactions tend to diminish gradually as we age.  Yes, many people suffer from decreased flexibility as they age.  But all drivers develop bad habits as they progress, and all drivers develop gaps in their knowledge as they age, beginning at 17.  Take a group of people in their 30’s, and ask them, “When was the last time you read the Driver’s Manual?”.  Look up a new traffic law that’s only been around for six months or a year, and ask them if they know about it.  Most people in the midlife range (25-55) will admit they probably couldn’t pass the driver’s exam if they had to take it today.  As a society, we treat driving as a right, rather than a privilege, and we perform the action, often with no sense of responsibility.  If we all knew we’d have to re-take the driving test every two years, bad habits and knowledge gaps would all but disappear.

As for those seniors who are losing the ability to drive safely, they would be caught by these re-tests and could be referred to a driving rehabilitation specialist to teach them ways to compensate for diminishing abilities.  And those who drive well and safely would be allowed to continue to do so for another two years.  Just like everyone else.