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At what age are you the best driver? (1 Viewer)

Are you currently older than the age group you voted for?

  • Yes

    Votes: 63 47.4%
  • No

    Votes: 70 52.6%

  • Total voters
    133

bro1ncos

IBL Representative
I believe there must be an age where the average driver's ability is at it's highest. When did experience, reaction time, skills and knowledge combine perfectly? 

 
Hmm, I was probably better at driving fast and in and out of traffic / flying on back roads when I was ~30.

Im a much more defensive driver now who drives closer to the speed limit (age is closer to 50 than 30), so I’d say I’m the best driver I’ve ever been now.

Voted 35-50

 
35-50 would seem to be the spot. You could probably rise the 50 to 60 and still be in at your best.

 
I remember reading some statistics (working at a car insurance company) that a 25 year old driver talking on a cellphone has the reaction time of a typical 75 year old driver (not on the phone).

Whatever the number is, it is nowhere near 75.  I voted 35-50, but with a bias toward the lower end of that range.

 
Interesting question but wish the poll was setup a little different.  I’m 47 and I feel my skills have started diminishing- reaction time, peripheral vision and overall vision.  But I’m much more mature as a driver now than my late 20’s.  I don’t take near the chances and don’t speed much.  I think my prime was mid 30’s to early 40’s.

 
Hmm, I was probably better at driving fast and in and out of traffic / flying on back roads when I was ~30.

Im a much more defensive driver now who drives closer to the speed limit (age is closer to 50 than 30), so I’d say I’m the best driver I’ve ever been now.

Voted 35-50
  :goodposting: This 

 
Knowledge and experience reign here. And ability to be focused and aware.

I voted 35-50... Experienced enough to anticipate the chucklehead dillweeds "driving", old enough to be emotionally secure enough to not get caught up in the road-rage, and young enough to have the eye-sight and reflexes to deal with it.

I'm older by a little, and my eye sight is starting to go. 

 
Studies show that reaction time start getting slower around the age of 24. However, I don't think that age has the best decision making skills and the driving experience to be the best. I would guess that is some where in the range of 30 to 35. 

 
Interesting question but wish the poll was setup a little different.  I’m 47 and I feel my skills have started diminishing- reaction time, peripheral vision and overall vision.  But I’m much more mature as a driver now than my late 20’s.  I don’t take near the chances and don’t speed much.  I think my prime was mid 30’s to early 40’s.
I struggled picking age ranges. Tried to find ages where major life dates seemed typical (US driving age, career start/college graduation, marriage, kids, older kids, retirement). 

My personal thoughts at 50 was that my best years were probably in the 32-34 range. 

 
If better is doing a skills course than I'd say 30 to 35. If better is accident avoidance than I'd say 35 to 45 (or becoming a parent) 

 
I'm not on the circuit so safest is best. 

And that's now. 

Ability was higher in my late 20s

 
Interesting question but wish the poll was setup a little different.  I’m 47 and I feel my skills have started diminishing- reaction time, peripheral vision and overall vision.  But I’m much more mature as a driver now than my late 20’s.  I don’t take near the chances and don’t speed much.  I think my prime was mid 30’s to early 40’s.
This is me. I didn't become a good driver until I started riding road motorcycles in Houston at 30.  THAT teaches one the fundamentals of safe driving.  But, I don't have the stamina for long drives that I used to have so I have to watch myself and my night vision is not as good as it once was.

 
45ish 

Smart enough to know how to be safe and that you don't have to speed all the time, but experienced enough to know how when needed.

 
I’m going 26-34, now that I’m 45 I need reading glasses and sometime I have to turn the radio down while I’m driving to figure #### out :bag:  
I say 26-34 too. I don't like driving long distances at night that much anymore (I'm 37) and I definitely feel more eye strain at night than I did in the 26-34 range, and by the time I was 26 I was well past the stage of thinking I was on a race track.

 
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I say 26-34 too. I don't like driving at night that much anymore (I'm 37) and I definitely feel more eye strain at night than I did in the 26-34 range, and by the time I was 26 I was well past the stage of thinking I was on a race track.
@JZilla first year of cake league is complete gb!!

 
Not sure how good this site is, but they list the top 5 deadliest groups as:

1. 20-24   36.3 deaths/100k drivers

2. 25-29   30.1

3. 30-34   25.2

4. 35-39   22.3

5. 50-54   20.3

Now they don’t mention who the safest drivers are, but their methodology is flawed somewhat, as they only determine fatal crashes per 100,000 drivers in each group, without accounting for the miles driven. Of note, neither teens nor really old people made the top 5, but part of that may reflect them driving much fewer miles than other adults.

 
My bro was a Vegas limo driver for ten years, age 54-64. He was an amazingly safe driver in his personal vehicle. 4 years later he scares the poop out me. Age decaying physical skills have a lot to do with old people being bad drivers, but it shouldn't kick in for most until mid 70s or so. A reason it happens faster for some is old people is they stop driving, like my bro, and things get scary. Another observation is older people have driven soooo much they tend to take things for granted and that's dangerous. 

Interesting topic. I voted for the two most popular responses. And lately every time I get behind the wheel I remind myself to drive smart, pay attention, be safe... bla bla bla

 
In the gaming world it is widely accepted the younger kids have superior motor skills.  They obviously don't have the seasoned knowledge of traffic flows, and other intricacies we pick up over the years.  Young drivers don't understand two things; traffic flows, & there are no respawns in RL.

 
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I voted 35-50 as I just turned 50.  It's probably 51-64 though.  I feel like I'm the best I've ever been.  Maybe not at my peak physically but mentally I'm way more patient that I was even a few years ago.  I still speed but not nearly as aggressively as I did it my 30s and 40s and certainly not my 20's.  I feel like the 50's is the answer with the maturity to go with go enough physical skills.

 
It depends on your definition of "best" too.  Best = safest I'd say on the older end of 35-50.  Best = most skillful, as measured by reaction time, judgement, etc...probably the lower end of that range.

I'm smack in the middle of that range right now.  I've typically been an aggressive driver with very good judgement who goes fast when I can, but I'm not a maniac.  I'm trending towards a much more laid back driver with very good awareness of all the other idiots out there.

 
Was probably in the past because of my nighttime vision, but have never had an accident and no moving violations in 15+ years. 

 
I think I'm with the consensus here - mid to late 30's is about the peak.  Obviously reaction times in that group are not on par with the younger crowd, but I think most of that stuff is still in the noise at that point.  The things that an experienced driver can "predict" are pretty incredible when you think about it - that slight rock in a stopped car that alerts you to the fact that he's about to make an unsafe entry into traffic, sudden lane changes on the highway that you can somehow feel coming, etc.  I've done a lot of highway driving, and I find myself adjusting my position in response to other people's predicaments.  For example, if I see someone is rapidly approaching a car they don't realize is going much slower, I'll make sure I don't end up abreast of them in case they panic and want to suddenly change lanes.  That said, at some point physical abilities start to roll off to the point that experience doesn't trump them anymore.  I know night driving in the rain is much more of an ordeal for me than it was 5 years ago.

 
wOw - first vote for 21-25.

not a car guy - only ever bought one car new ('75 Audi 100LS) ever - only pride cars were a Rockford 'bird and my beloved '75 cherry Eldo convertible (in which my Mary & i would tailgate tourists to places we werent even going on our Sunday drives, then home where she'd give it a thorough washing in her leopard, 3-triangle berkini which had the neighbors either pulling up lawn chairs or calling in the children) & they werent performance buggies.

but i'd say i drove best when it mattered to me most and how can it matter to one more than when one first feels the power.?! i did total the Audi, but i was wasted and trying a stunt - getting air from a bump @ 85mph - but i was on the road a lot, never had any patience and did some extreme #### cuz i knew i could. learned everything i know on longhauling & shortcutting in those days and got the most out of myself & my buggies.

 
I said 26-34(I’m 35 now), and I’m still doing well at driving, but I know it’s going to start declining pretty soon. The drivers here in Florida are not great, but it does help my defensive driving skills.

 
I always sped and drove a bit aggressively until I had an "oh #####!" near major accident when a deer ran into the road when I was passing another car on a remote highway - kiddo in the back seat. I was 45 then and it changed me for good. I'll still pass cars going annoyingly slow but I no longer race to get places 6 minutes quicker than I'd get there driving safely.

 
I said 26-34(I’m 35 now), and I’m still doing well at driving, but I know it’s going to start declining pretty soon. The drivers here in Florida are not great, but it does help my defensive driving skills.
Lol. You ain’t declining driving at 35 if you are driving safe. 

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m a much better driver at 50 than I was at 20-30
Yup. Much more chill and not in a hurry. Also with fewer years left I value them more

 
I always sped and drove a bit aggressively until I had an "oh #####!" near major accident when a deer ran into the road when I was passing another car on a remote highway - kiddo in the back seat. I was 45 then and it changed me for good. I'll still pass cars going annoyingly slow but I no longer race to get places 6 minutes quicker than I'd get there driving safely.
This sounds terrifying snd makes me question my own driving habits. Then again, whether 85 or 65, if a deer jumps out of nowhere, you’re basically screwed either way, right?

what’d you do?  Hit the deer, or swerve and hit something else?

 
This sounds terrifying snd makes me question my own driving habits. Then again, whether 85 or 65, if a deer jumps out of nowhere, you’re basically screwed either way, right?

what’d you do?  Hit the deer, or swerve and hit something else?
It was insane. Both me and the car I was passing came to screeching stops and managed to stay in our lanes. Out of my left periphery I see a 3rd car (who was attempting to piggy back pass behind me) sail past us both into the ditch and it somehow avoided rolling or hitting a tree.

I agree not much difference 85/65 but I've gone from routinely passing 30+ cars on this remote 50 mile stretch (60 MPH) to maybe passing 3-4, and being content not passing when I find myself behind someone going 64+.  

 

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