Should we require periodic driving tests in the US?

Last week I accompanied my friend to his road test for getting his driver’s license. I’ve had my license for almost five years, and I consider myself a pretty decent driver, but I had forgotten a lot of technical things that you learn in Driver’s Ed. If I were to take a random road test without being able to study these things, I’m not sure I would have passed.

At the same time, I see myriad examples of bad driving done by people who have probably had their license for decades. The same day I was coming up with this question an elderly man in a sports car cut me off without using his blinker. It was only because I was being a safe driver that we didn’t collide.

So I really have two questions: Should people be required to take a driving test every so often, perhaps when they renew their license? Or rather, why don’t we require this already?

And secondly, do you think you would pass a random road test without studying?