LANSING, Mich. – A bill proposed in the Michigan Senate would require older drivers to undergo more frequent testing to renew or obtain a driver’s license.
The measure, introduced March 18 by state Sen. Rosemary Bayer, would require drivers 75 and older to pass a vision exam, a written knowledge test, and a driving skills test every four years to renew or obtain a license.
Once a driver turns 85, those same tests would be required every year.
Bayer’s office said she was unable to do an interview on the topic, but when Local 4 followed up with a question about the motivation, they did not respond.
Some seniors say the legislation unfairly singles them out.
“I don’t know if I’m too happy about this,” said Pea Gee, who is almost 70 and was playing cards with a group of people 60 and older when asked about the proposal. “It is not the older people that generate a lot of these accidents, it’s the younger drivers.”
Gee said many drivers in her age group remain safe and alert behind the wheel.
“You have a lot of older people, such as myself we see well, we hear well, we can drive, and we’re mentally focused because we’re not texting,” Gee said.
Others said they support some additional oversight but question how far the bill goes, especially for the oldest drivers.
Stephen Rogers said he does not oppose testing after a certain age, but he didn’t like the idea of people 85 and older having to pass three tests each year.
“I think that would be overkill,” Rogers said. “I think that’s quite a bit too much. I think it’s a ‘if you can’t get them that way, you get them this way.’ I don’t agree with that.”
Crash data from 2024 shows older drivers are involved in more serious collisions, though comparisons with younger drivers are complicated.
According to Michigan Traffic Crash Facts data from 2024, drivers 65 and older were involved in 279 fatal crashes and more than 11,000 personal-injury crashes.
Drivers ages 16 to 20 were involved in 116 fatal crashes and slightly more than 9,000 personal-injury crashes during the same period.
The age range for younger drivers, however, is significantly narrower than that of the 65-and-older group, making direct comparisons less straightforward.
Some older residents argue that if lawmakers want to tighten licensing requirements for safety reasons, those changes should apply to everyone.
“I think that if they want to pass that type of bill, it should be passed for everybody,” said Sharon Mann, another older driver. “It should not be based on a particular person’s age but maybe on their physical or mental abilities, which would be assessed by a professional.”
Since its introduction, the bill has seen little movement beyond being referred to the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.