Older drivers not a threat to public safety

The growing number of ageing baby boomers are the target of the NSW Road Traffic Authority’s (RTA’s) controversial discussion paper on the licensing of older drivers.

The paper suggests more older drivers on the roads will mean more accidents, so tougher testing and restrictions will be necessary.

“We just do not think the RTA has proven its case; that increasing numbers of older drivers on our roads warrants these tough new restrictions,” says Council on the Ageing (COTA) (NSW) Policy Manager, Lisa Langley.

COTA (NSW) recognises that as a person ages they are more susceptible to chronic disease and other conditions that can affect their driving ability. However, ‘older drivers’ are not a homogenous group.

COTA (NSW) would like to see a combination of medical testing and driver assessment and re-education as the focus of older drivers’ licensing policy, rather than the proposed policy of annual testing after the age of 85 and radius driving restrictions.

“Testing should be based on driving ability – not someone’s age,” Langley said.