MEASURE AIMS TO IMPROVE SENIORS' DRIVING

Older drivers are often the object of other motorists' ire. Whether it is deserved or not, even the most powerful senior citizens' group in the country agrees that skills needed to safely drive diminish with age.

Under identical bills in both houses of the Missouri General Assembly, older drivers could refresh their skills in a drivers' education course and be rewarded in discounts on their car insurance premiums.

The American Association of Retired Persons endorsed the bills sponsored by Sen. Irene Treppler, R-St. Louis, and Rep. Sue Shear, D-Clayton.

"The reason for this is as you get older your eyesight, hearing and reflexes deteriorate," said Shear, 76. "They teach you how to compensate, and it has worked. In states that have it, the accident rates among older drivers have gone down. And they do encourage those who they think shouldn't be driving to give up their licenses."

Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia have similar laws. Private groups, such as the AARP, conduct the classes.

"Driving courses are an excellent way to help educate our older drivers and identify seniors who may need to limit their driving," said Treppler, 69.

Cape Girardeau resident Carl Patterson, the AARP's state communications coordinator, said the classes, which consist of two, four-hour sessions, are intended to help senior citizens become better and safer drivers.

The voluntary class would have to be repeated every three years to retain the insurance discount. Those who fail the course wouldn't have to forfeit their license.

Treppler predicts many older drivers would be happy to take the class, especially since it is non-binding and provides an incentive.

"Due to the fact that they will not lose their license, they do not have to be as nervous as if they were taking some state-mandated driver's test," Treppler said.

Both legislators say the insurance industry opposes the concept.

"It's a mandated benefit and they do not like mandated benefits, even if they save lives," Shear said.

The measure, which would pose no cost to the state, also would mean little cost for insurance companies, the legislators said.

The exact amount of any discount is left to individual companies. The financial benefits received from better older drivers would offset the discounts, Shear and Treppler said.

"I don't know why they are so opposed," Treppler said. "They say it will cause rates to go up, but evidently that hasn't happened in other states."

The measures -- House Bill 724 and Senate Bill 847 -- are in their respective committees.

Another bill in the Senate also would affect older drivers, as well as drivers with impairments.

SB 510, also sponsored by Treppler, would allow physicians, law enforcement officers and any other person to report drivers impaired by injury, disease or infirmity to the Department of Revenue.

After an investigation, the department could rescind the license of someone deemed physically or mentally unable to drive safely. The department would establish the guidelines.

"Presently, people can report impaired drivers but they don't know what process to go through. This will help them out," Treppler said.

To provide a safeguard against vindictive claims, making a false a report would be a class A misdemeanor.