RUNNING AN ERRAND FOR SARAH STROZIER IS EASY,SHE JUST GRABS HER KEYS AND IS OUT THE DOOR. BUT IF SHE WERE 79-YEARS-OLD SHE WOULD PROBABLY...KNOW JUST HOW MUCH TOUGHER IT IS TO HANG ON TO HER LICENSE.

THAT'S BECAUSE A TEXAS LAW, RESTRICTS THE RENEWAL PROCESS FOR SENIORS 79 AND OLDER. WHAT ONCE WAS COMPLETE WITH A TRIP TO THE MAILBOX NOW HAS TO BE COMPLETED AT A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE IN PERSON.

THE LAW PASSED IN LATE 2007 AFTER A TEXAS TEEN WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH AN ELDERLY DRIVER.

OFFICIALS SAY THE LAW IS NECESSARY TO KEEP CRASHES INVOLVING THE ELDERLY DOWN. FATALATIES HAVE DECLINED SLIGHTLY SINCE THE LAW'S BEEN IN EFFECT. BUT IS IT REALLY WORKING? HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICIALS SAY ITS TOO EARLY TO TELL.

EVEN THOUGH OLDER DRIVERS TRAVEL FEWER MILES THE GROUP IS INVOLVED IN A HIGHER NUMBER OF CRASHES PER MILE. AND DATA LIKE THAT IS WHATS PROMPTING OFFICIALS TO LOOK INTO MORE THAN VISION SCREENINGS FOR RENEWALS.

VISION SCREENINGS FOR 79-YEAR-OLD DRIVERS AND RENEWING EVERY TWO YEARS INSTEAD OF EVERY SIX YEARS FOR THOSE 85 AND OLDER ARE THE CURRENT LICENSE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS. AND BECAUSE MOST OF THE NEARLY HALF A MILLION ELDERLY TEXAS DRIVERS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR RENEWAL PROCESS, OFFICIALS ARE STILL TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO REQUIRE MORE TESTING FOR SENIORS.

"I'm okay with that I don't mind coming in to renew it," says 76-year-old Victoria resident, Sarah Strozier.

STATE OFFICIALS SAY THE LAW ISN'T INTENDED TO TAKE AWAY DRIVING RIGHTS FROM SENIORS, BUT TO KEEP THE ROADWAYS SAFE. AND WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY TO SEE IF THE LAW IS RELIABLE ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY UNSAFE DRIVERS, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD STAY ON THE BOOKS.