Police: 100-year-old driver hits 11 people in Los Angeles

Police: 100-year-old driver hits 11 people in Los Angeles

www.cnn.com

A 100-year-old man is apologetic after barreling into a crowd of mostly school kids in Los Angeles and sending 11 people to the hospital.

"I'm sorry," Preston Carter told CNN affiliate KTLA. "I lost control of the car. The brakes failed, I think."

Nine children and two adults were taken to hospitals, according to Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

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Ok firstly ..its a miracle that no one got killed
but what happened to send 9 kids and 2 adults in the hospital

I have 2 theories that could explain what happen
the second one will maybe hard to believe

1) we know old peoples shouldnt drive anymore
the max age should be at least 80 yrs old to drive any vehicule faster then 5 km per hrs
how many time we have see video on you tube
of old people thinking they are pushing the breaks
and ends up pushing the accelerator at maximum crashing a store
thinking it was the breaks .. mistakes like that happen a lot
when you age .. you lose focus

2) there is bad people out there !
some people really age not well and become .. evil
dont care anymore and dont have any patience at all
but they are clever enought and excuse their mistakes on their age ..
a 100 yrs when you age negatively thinking about death is coming soon
and you see a bunch of young kids doing silly stuff in front of you
taking their time walking the streets not caring there is cars that are waiting to pass
what if this old men had lost his mind ? and went bersek on the kids with his car
saying "HE THINKS" that its the break fault .... dont make sens
he can even lie correctly anymore .. to old

so what do you think .. accident or evil old man ?
or any other theories ?

Rest of the Article:

None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, and most had bumps and bruises.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when Carter was backing up from a grocery store near an elementary school in southern Los Angeles.

His Cadillac jumped the curb and plowed into the crowd, according to Richard French, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Classes had let out at Main Street Elementary School and students were waiting to be picked up by their parents when the crash happened.

Officers are investigating the incident, but it does not appear that Carter will be charged, police told the affiliate .

Police will also try to determine whether a malfunction with Carter's car led to the accident.

But whether the crash was caused by faulty brakes or not, the centenarian, who will turn 101 next month, will not be driving anymore, his daughter told the affiliate.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Something really needs to be done about older drivers. I'm not saying we need an age limit on driving, but there really needs to be more eyes on who is able to drive past the age of 80. If the woman walking in can't hear, can't see, and fell asleep while waiting in line, chances are you should probably deny her license renewal.

reply to post by TrueBlood


while I pretty much agree with you on this all the way, I have to bring this up. These older people who are falling asleep randomly etc. are probably not in the best shape to be driving a car, but are still in good enough shape to be living on their own (not a senior living home) the issue arises about how/where to get their supplies.

they are going to run out of food, toilet paper, toothpaste, need new things, etc. So if they can't drive themselves, do they have to get a friend to do these things for them? what if they don't know anyone around them well enough to ask that kind of favor?

just something to consider

Originally posted by TrueBlood
Something really needs to be done about older drivers. I'm not saying we need an age limit on driving, but there really needs to be more eyes on who is able to drive past the age of 80. If the woman walking in can't hear, can't see, and fell asleep while waiting in line, chances are you should probably deny her license renewal.

Fully agree .. we never know when they will comit mistakes
they are real time bombs with their cars
there is so many videos of old people crashing with their cars
did any candidate are to afraid to lose the old conservative voters
if they make a new law that no one should drive a car after 80yrs old
this law alone would save many lifes

reply to post by Gwampo


i say throw em in a "nursing community" small apartments with people on staff to help with errands. NO CARS!

this reminds me of the south park episode with elderly drivers.

Originally posted by Gwampo
reply to post by TrueBlood

 

while I pretty much agree with you on this all the way, I have to bring this up. These older people who are falling asleep randomly etc. are probably not in the best shape to be driving a car, but are still in good enough shape to be living on their own (not a senior living home) the issue arises about how/where to get their supplies.

they are going to run out of food, toilet paper, toothpaste, need new things, etc. So if they can't drive themselves, do they have to get a friend to do these things for them? what if they don't know anyone around them well enough to ask that kind of favor?

just something to consider

How do people normally get their supplies when they don't have a car or someone to take them into town? Public transportation. I honestly don't think there needs to be an age limit because there are some older folks out there that are still sharp as a tack, but for every able senior there is 5 that, given the day or time, have no idea who or where they are. Those are the ones that need to have their license revoked and, to be honest, if you're not able to use public transportation, maybe it is time you start thinking about a care home.

It's not the age as I know some good drivers who are old but knowing when to hand in the keys and in America where everythings designed around the car it must be terrible being stuck with no way to get to the shops especially when its just some milk and a loaf, generally i'd say annual medicals would be a good start from 65+ to spot problems such as eyesight early and perhaps fixable rather than them being legally blind and still motoring away causing chaos

Sorry, I think this was recorded on a toaster, but I think the point stands.

One of these days I will run for office with my ideas.

After 75 you are tested yearly just like an eye test for competency in driving. If you fail your license is revoked although this may not stop many drivers for the reasons mentioned. But

With the internet you can order food and services to be brought to your door. Or join a program with pooling senior citizens taking trips to the market and stores.

Well I don't drive myself, but I do believe there should be a age limit. I myself have seen how dangerous the older generation drivers can be, going through red lights, stopping just after the red lights, backing into a tight parking spot bumping into the other parked cars getting out and walking away like nothing happened.

Benn

The flip side: My step-dad is 83 years young and one of the best drivers I know. I will jump in the truck and ride with him anytime, anywhere! And yet recently he had to jump through hoops to retain his driving privileges!

A few months back he was only a few blocks from home when a neighbor's dog darted out in front of him. He swerved to miss the dog and ended up partially in a ditch. A couple of neighbor ladies that were outside at the time and witnessed the whole incident. It is a very narrow road so the ditch was unavoidable. There was no damage to his vehicle OR the ditch and he pulled his vehicle out on it's own power.

Just so happened there was a DPS trooper nearby who for some odd reason was just cruising around this residential neighborhood far from a highway. First thing he does is start asking my step-dad what kind of medications was he on and what kind of medical conditions did he have- this even after the two witnesses told the trooper about the dog.

Next thing you know he got a letter in the mail commanding his presence at the DPS. They inform him his driving privileges are suspended pending investigation of his medical status. He had to jump through hoops and provide all kinds of paperwork from his physicians and pharmacist and threaten legal action to get his license reinstated. All this heaped on a man who's only had one ticket in his entire life, and who previous to this had only ever been involved in two wrecks both of which were due to other drivers running stop signs and T-boning him.

I would choose riding with my 83 year old step-dad over riding with anyone else in my family. He is the only one who's driving doesn't scare the crap out of me!

Edit: Also he was required to take the driving test (written and actual driving and vision test) all over again. He passed with flying colors!

I do agree there comes a time when some need to stop driving.

However many old people tend to be more careful drivers - (I do not mean dangerously dawdling types) - Nothing to prove and also years of experience and perhaps the odd past bump that wakes one up to the dangers of driving. Hence cheaper car insurance

Young people can be very reckless - I was - Taking risks to gain a few yards of road
Or Mature people stressed out and acting like some do when on-line - A feeling of anonymity in one's own little box on wheels.

A few days ago I was cut up by a police car - for example.
I believe in being courteous on the road but accidents happen.
Some fool on a mobile phone driving a truck is one real example
Women applying make - up
Men being boy racers

Age is not issue here until it diminishes one capacity to drive safely

Originally posted by abeverage
One of these days I will run for office with my ideas.

After 75 you are tested yearly just like an eye test for competency in driving. If you fail your license is revoked although this may not stop many drivers for the reasons mentioned. But

With the internet you can order food and services to be brought to your door. Or join a program with pooling senior citizens taking trips to the market and stores.

Unfortunately old people are less likely to use the inter net
Also the sense of independence is a big factor
My friends Grandfather is a very dangerous driver - He is just not with it
There comes a time though when one has the duty to tell another for their own sake and others too

I'm sure we can dig up so many news articles on elderly drivers slamming through convenient stores or burger joints --- I remember back in 2003 while I was living in Santa Monica, CA, an octogenarian plowed into a crowd of people --- I mean, he was hauling ass down a friggin' promenade, and --- this cat didn't even break until he cleared at least a city-blocks worth of street. He injured a sh*tload of people and killed quite a few.

My gut-feeling told me that he, as an older cat, simply had mistaken his break pedal for his gas pedal and just rammed through the crowd and just couldn't react fast enough considering his ripe age.

I honestly agree with the posters above that we should be able to determine when a driver should lose his/her privileges based on his/her mental state due to age.

---- wow, there's even a wiki page on this story ----

reply to post by the_philth


In UK if one makes a stupid mistake through reckless driving - Instead of losing your licence you are put onto a 3 day course of driver awareness.

A young guy nearly wiped me out last year due to his lack of awareness - My car was write off and but for air bags I would have been too.
He had pulled out of a junction straight in front of me on a duel carriageway
There was a witness who helped out - I was badly dazed - Also a police traffic officer arrived.

How did this guy act - Well he walked away on his mobile phone getting Mum and Dad to clear up his mess.
Never bothered to see if I was dead or alive..

reply to post by artistpoet
Wow!!! I'm dumbfounded!

Originally posted by Dizrael
reply to post by Gwampo

 

i say throw em in a "nursing community" small apartments with people on staff to help with errands. NO CARS!

this reminds me of the south park episode with elderly drivers.

One day, you'll be one of us.

Let's see how you like your freedom restricted then.

Have you ever texted or read a text while driving? NO CARS for you.

Originally posted by Maxatoria, generally i'd say annual medicals would be a good start from 65+ to spot problems such as eyesight early and perhaps fixable rather than them being legally blind and still motoring away causing chaos

They already do that in Canada, I'm surprised they don't do that down in the US.
Not sure if 65 is the age they start though.

That said, if the vehicle is available, precautions need to be made so they cannot drive it once they don't have their license anymore

Age limit should be 70 in city and maybe 80 in less traffic area.

I avoid old drivers. going behind them is okay to a certain point before you get pissed for moving like a turtle, late start from a single etc...

But never, never, NEVER let an old driver(esp a couple) behind your car.