Road testing requirement is reasonable, fair

I am writing to express my support of the mandatory road testing for seniors after reading Marni Pyke’s Dec. 11 article entitled “Is Illinois’ mandatory road test for seniors fair?”

Based on the fact that certain changes occurring with age may alter a person’s ability to drive safely, I believe the requirement is completely fair and reasonable.

As people age, their reflexes get slower and their mental capacities may be affected. According to “Safe Driving for Older Adults” by the National Institute on Aging, some common health conditions that may influence an older person’s driving skills include stiff joints and muscles, trouble seeing and/or hearing, use of medications, slower reaction time and reflexes and serious health conditions such as dementia.

When affected by one of these conditions, seniors may pose a risk not only to their health and life but also to that of others.

Operating a vehicle is a serious responsibility for the driver and those around them. By requiring regular driving tests to ensure that seniors are physically and mentally competent to drive, Illinois is protecting its citizens from serious harm.

Ensuring the welfare of its citizens and establishing laws affecting the safety of the roads is a power reserved to the states under the US Constitution. The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”

This means that Illinois has the right to establish a test for the older generation because road and highway safety regulations are not expressly mentioned in the Constitution as being delegated to the federal government. For the above reasons, I believe Illinois’ mandatory road test for seniors is justified.

Nikki Burek

Wauconda