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| What the stats say. Pic courtesy of ABC news. |
A recent tragedy in Victoria has highlighted the issue of senior drivers and safety.
This is personally relevant, gentle reader, as at age 75+ I need an annual review of my licence. In my case, my GP demands a optometric assessment. This doesn't bother me, and I reckon he's simply being thorough.
He is, or should be, expert on my general health as it relates to driving. He's been my GP for about thirty years.
I first rock up to my optometrist who provides a through assessment (including skills relevant to driving such as state of visual perception). Armed with that, I head to the GP who checks me out for muscle power, coordination, cognitive function (including attention, comprehension and reaction time). He is in the best position to compare any decline in functionality because he's been observing me for thirty years.
He then issues me with a signed chit which I laminate and carry in my car. Interestingly, my state issued driver's licence, both plastic and digital, carries no reference to this. I guess that's because my age is obvious, and my date of birth is on the licence.
It seems strange to me that Victoria doesn't follow this process. Perhaps that's under review.
To be honest, I'd have no objection to compulsory testing once a driver is 75. The medical assessments don't necessarily translate to the real world behind the wheel.
I've done, over the years, three different training programmes. The first was to make sure I was up to the task of training teachers to drive the various
Toyota Coasters my schools ran, and the other two were sessions in Mount Isa and Toowoomba respectively dealing with driving in the outback.
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| Coaster |
Once you have learned where the buttons are, you don't have to take your eyes off the road to activate them. Touch screens - not so much....
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