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Media Release

Attention: News editors - July 2006

Older drivers forum a success

State transport ministers, licensing managers, and driver safety experts from throughout Australia met in Melbourne this month to discuss the controversial issue of mandatory age-based testing for older drivers.

More than 20 delegates attended the forum, initiated by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and convened by Tasmania’s Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Jim Cox. The forum was organised following recent public interest in older driver licensing issues.

MUARC researchers believe Australia needs a unified approach to older drivers that does not involve mandatory age-based assessment and that features consistent legislation throughout the states and territories.

Currently, Tasmania, NSW, Western Australia and South Australia have stringent assessments requiring medical examinations and on-road testing for older drivers, while Victoria has no regular age-based testing. Queensland and the ACT require mandatory medical examinations, but generally no on-road tests.

MUARC senior research fellow Dr Judith Charlton said testing drivers once they reached a certain age was not the best way to prevent deaths and injuries on Australian roads.

“Studies in Australia and overseas have repeatedly shown that age-based mandatory testing is ineffective in recognising at-risk drivers,” she said.

Senior research fellow Mr Jim Langford said older drivers were a relatively small problem on Australian roads compared to other driving groups, saying that “serious injury crashes involving older drivers often have more to do with the driver’s frailty than their driving ability”.

Delegates from Tasmania, NSW, Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, the ACT, and New Zealand, attended the forum.

The delegates heard from presenters who provided a series of reasons for moving away from mandatory assessment, including:

  • older drivers, including those who pass the tests, find the testing stressful and many surrender their licences rather than be tested;
  • tests are commonly undertaken in unfamiliar busy traffic environments which many older drivers ordinarily avoid;
  • the cost of mass testing is high for little or no safety benefit;
  • age-based testing may be a form of discrimination

In addition, Associate Professor of Geriatric Medicine at Monash University, Dr Peteris Darzins, told the forum that mass screening of all older drivers could not meaningfully identify at-risk drivers.

Dr Charlton said delegates were returning to advise their own jurisdictions on the latest research on the issue.

For more information, contact Dr Judith Charlton on 0438 525 366, Mr Jim Langford on 0418 351 100 or MUARC Senior Media Communications Officer Ms Allison Harding on 0419 302 520.