Filenews 24 March 2021 - by Despina Psyllaou
Age in driving is a smaller factor of medical ability than epilepsy, diabetes, mental disorders, or substance abuse.
In fact, older people comply more with road traffic rules, drink more rarely, avoid driving at night, at peak times as well as in bad weather.
At the same time, the deprivation of a driving licence turns them into vulnerable road users, as pedestrians and cyclists. These are conclusions of the 40th PIN Flash Report 40 of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) under the Road Safety PIN (Performance Index) programme on medical driving capacity, highlighted by the representative of this programme in Cyprus, Giorgos Morakis. It presents data from the 27 Member States of the European Union, as well as Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Serbia and the United Kingdom.
In particular, the report addresses the issue on the basis of a 2006 European Directive that 'driving licences should only be issued to applicants who meet medical requirements', focusing exclusively on category B licences for cars, small vans and minibuses. It is found that specific medical conditions, substance abuse, mental disorders, epilepsy and diabetes are more important factors from age in terms of medical ability to drive.
Moreover, age-based driving licence deprivation has not proved effective in reducing serious road collisions and at the same time is likely to have a negative impact on road safety, as older drivers become vulnerable road users (as pedestrians, cyclists, etc.). At the same time, the deprivation of driving licences in elderly people can have dramatic consequences for their mental health and their ability to have an active life.
In addition, it was found that medical examinations for obtaining, renewing or restoring a driving licence may be useful in identifying medical conditions that may adversely affect the ability to drive.
Especially for older drivers, the report states that many regulate their driving practices. They avoid driving at night, in bad weather and at peak times. They have a lot of driving experience, which helps them predict problematic situations. They also drink and drive more rarely than younger drivers and generally comply more with road rules. They pose a lower risk to others on the road, but they themselves are more at risk in conflict situations because of their vulnerable body and organisation.
