Special “S” plate suggested for doddery drivers
A Victorian consultant pharmacist who has worked on driving safety programs believes that drivers over 85 should display senior “S” plates and drivers over 75 should have zero blood-alcohol levels when behind the wheel.
Dr Jenny Gowan said that drivers aged 75 and over accounted for 9% of all driver deaths and were four times more likely to be involved in road accidents than drivers aged 26 years to 65.
She told The Sunday Age newspaper that, “coupled with getting older, with multiple disease, slow reaction times, and early dementia, many drugs can further decrease their ability to drive safely”.
From 5,500 medicine reviews conducted in Victorian homes, Dr Gowan found that many elderly patients who were regular drivers were taking a cocktail of prescription pills.
“I’ve seen people taking the cat’s worm tablets and giving the cat the heart medicine. We’ve got people who are confused and inadvertently doubling up on their medicines.”
Dr Gowan said that discriminating against older drivers was not her aim; however an “S” plate would alert other motorists that they were near a driver who might be “a bit slow off the mark”.
But she added that “the last thing I’d want to do is discourage somebody who is able to maintain their independence by driving”.
