SEATTLE -- State law sets a minimum age at which people can legally drive.

What about a maximum age?

Wednesday morning, a woman in her late 70's lost control of her van and hit a guy walking on a sidewalk in Renton.

The woman then careened into a light pole before finally crashing into a barber shop.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

I knew a guy who, at 81, went in to renew his driver's license; took the obligatory eye exam and was sent on his way with a new license good for 5 years.

That makes no sense.

Let's face it, there comes an age when people start to lose coordination and reflexes.

Their cognitive skills diminish.

Yet we leave it to family members to take on the difficult task of convincing elderly relatives they should no longer get behind the wheel of a car.

I propose the following: A state law that says every driver over 74 be required to take a driving test every year to determine if they still have the skills to be on the road.

If we understand that some people are too young to drive, it's time to acknowledge that some people may be too old.

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