Following a serious accident in Wantirna South, the Victorian government is putting Australia-wide rules for older drivers under the microscope. Road Minister Melissa Horne told reporters that the state’s transport department is weighing whether to force drivers over a certain age to pass fresh tests before renewing their licenses. Early options include shorter vision checks or behind-the-wheel appraisals.
Rising Senior Driver Numbers Fuel Worry In Australia
Numbers backing the review are stark. Over the last decade, the count of drivers past 85 has shot up by 75 percent, topping 69,500. Updated Transport Department data indicates there are four times more drivers in that age group today than in 2013. Transport Matteo Activists argue that the speedy mid 2023 applicant pool of over 85s may slow reactions, and fresh tests are lenders in pilot programs.
No National Rules; It’s a Patchwork
Right now, Australia has no single system for older drivers. In New South Wales, over 85s must pass a full test every second year; Queensland and the ACT, drivers over 75 or 76 must submit a doctor’s note each year; WA’s regime is checklists and reviews every 12 months from 80. Passenger and Car Safety officials compare those state rules to see whose model works best.
Driving experts tell us that old age by itself doesn’t define who’s good or bad behind the wheel. “We find young drivers with shockingly low skills who are also battling unseen health issues, while some older drivers, fit as they seem, face the same problem,” shared one Monash University researcher. Still, the numbers show older Australians are more likely to be seriously hurt or killed when accidents happen, and that’s often because their bodies are more fragile.
Russell White, who started the Australian Road Safety Foundation, thinks the terrible crash in Melbourne has given the perfect chance to bring in the same rules all over the country.
“It’s tragic that a tragedy is the spark for this conversation,” he lamented. The Victorian government is looking at the laws now. Transport Minister Horne has said leaders want to hear from the public before any big rules are made.
“We must sit down with the community, at the planning table, before any major changes,” she said, recognizing that making roads safer must still let older Australians travel freely. Meanwhile, drivers in Victoria are waiting for a ruling that could change rules about elderly drivers for every Australian state and territory.