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Monday, 01 October 2007 01:37

California Driver's License Test Could Get Tougher

Down the road, getting a California driver's license could get a lot tougher. The state is considering using more extensive tests to evaluate a driver's memory, reflexes and vision to identify people who shouldn't be behind the wheel. "What we can do is try to identify drivers who probably can't drive safely," said David Hennessy, a research program specialist who recently retired from the DMV. "This is something we're especially sensitive to because of the aging of the baby boomers. We're looking to accommodate and acknowledge that fact," Hennessy said.

A pilot program is under way and the agency expects to reach preliminary conclusions by 2010 and report to state lawmakers the following year, said DMV spokesman Michael Marando. The earliest that all California drivers could face any of the new tests would be 2012, and then only with the Legislature's approval. Problems with reflexes, memory and vision occur most often with older drivers, but can also be found among young and middle-aged people. There have been high-profile cases of elderly drivers losing control of their cars and causing major accidents, including an 86-year-old driver who crashed through the Santa Monica Farmers' Market in 2003, killing 10 people. A CBS-13 CW-31 Sacramento story

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