Yep, the extent to which people are allowed to renew their license in the U.S. is very nearly criminal (both in the cases of old age and in previous history of driving impaired or recklessly). It's one of the less talked about externalities of the States being a car-based culture. Here, driving is considered a right more than a privilege, whereas in most other first world countries (e.g. most of Europe) the opposite is true.