Proposes Change in Law

I am a 17-year-old California driver and I propose a change in the driving safety rules of the DMV for the safety of myself and every single person in California. My concern is our respected elderly drivers. I often notice how they struggle to see the signs, how they forget street law and just don’t know what to [do] in certain situations and panic. Most of these situations are caused because their vision isn’t good enough for them to see the sign/s placed on the sides of the roads or their memory is getting worse throughout their age and they are forgetting the laws they once learned.
I propose that California drivers turning 50 years old or are over 50 [complete] a three-part test every five years after turning 50 years old. The three part test would be a vision test to guarantee that the driver’s vision is clear enough to be able to read the signs on the road and see pedestrians or any hazards; a knowledge test consisting of questions from old tests plus some additional new questions regarding elders. The knowledge test would be to make sure our respected elders know and remember everything that they will need to know while driving on the busy roads of California; finally, a driving safety test, which will take 15-20 minutes and will assure that the [driver] is eligible to keep their license and [be] an official driver in California. 

The licensed shall be reminded about the test the day it passes as a law, six months before turning 50 and the day they turn 50. After turning 50 they would be given 30 days to visit their local DMV and complete the three part test. In the moment of passing the law any licensed drivers who turn 50 in the next 30 days since the law has passed, or drivers who are already 50 and over, will be given up to 90 days to complete their three-part test. It might be hard to implement for now but I really do think that this is something we need because annually there are elderly-average 647 fatal accidents. Considering they are not young they could be seriously hurt even from a little crash. 

So for their own safety and our safety I think this proposal is needed.
Narek Kitesov
Tujunga

Play Music on the Porch Day

Play Music on the Porch Day is coming up soon. It’s the last Saturday in August, the 29th this year, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s a time when musicians from all over the world perform on their porch or other suitable location and share on social media. Not only is it likely to be enjoyable to hear and see performers from one’s home country, the local area is perfectly suited to contribute because of our many talented musicians and large percentage of foreign born residents. Glendale, Burbank and La Cañada Flintridge have several Sister and Friendship cities around the world providing opportunities to collaborate.

Learn more at https://playmusicontheporchday.com/.

Sharon Weisman
La Crescenta