A new bill in Michigan could change how older drivers maintain their licenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Senate Bill 847<\/a>, introduced by State Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-West Bloomfield), would require drivers aged 75 to 84 to pass vision, written and driving tests every four years. Drivers 85 and older would need to complete the same tests annually.\u00a0<\/p>\n The legislation is still in its early stages and has not yet been debated in committee.\u00a0<\/p>\n Under current law, Michigan drivers can generally renew their licenses every four years without additional testing if they maintain a clean driving record. That means older adults could continue driving into their 80s without any formal check on their vision, knowledge or driving skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n Supporters of the bill argue that new testing requirements could help prevent accidents and improve overall road safety. The legislation was partly inspired by a fatal 2024 crash in Wixom, Michigan<\/a>, where a 94-year-old struck a car stopped in traffic and after the initial collision, accidentally ran over the pedestrian who had exited the vehicle.<\/p>\n The measure is also driven by Christopher Thexton, whose wife was the one killed in the accident.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cIt seemed like a kind of hole in the system that older drivers were allowed to kind of drive unchecked,\u201d Thexton said in an interview with CBS Detroit<\/a>, later describing the crash as a \u201ccompletely preventable tragedy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Statistics show that while older drivers are not responsible for most accidents, risk factors do change with age. In 2024, drivers aged 65 and older made up roughly 26% of licensed drivers in Michigan<\/a> and were involved in nearly 19% of fatal crashes<\/a>. Safety research indicates that crash severity and the likelihood of fatal outcomes increase for drivers over 75, even as total accident numbers remain lower than younger age groups<\/a>. Supporters of Bill 847 argue that periodic testing could identify safety issues before they lead to serious accidents.<\/p>\n The bill has also faced criticism. The American Association of Retired People (AARP<\/a>) Michigan has expressed concern that the legislation unfairly targets drivers based solely on age rather than individual ability.<\/p>\n