Video InformationBelow: a February, 2012 Today Tonight segment on the aftermath of a serious accident caused by an elderly driver. Below: a September, 2012: another Today Tonight segment, featuring an interview with a 100-year-old motorist who drives regularly. Below: A September 2012 video produced by the American Roadway Safety Foundation. The video's aim is to "educate the public about programs and systems used by transportation providers to keep older drivers safe". Below: An August 2012 segment from the Canadian "16 by 9" program, featuring the debate on older drivers after an Australian fatal accident. The situation regarding testing of older drivers in Victoria is reflected in north America, where few cities, towns or states impose restrictions on elderly drivers. WARNING: this is a fairly sensational treatment of the issue, but it is also a useful insight into the dilemma of older drivers who know they are not driving well, but are reluctant to stop. . Below: Published on Jan 3, 2013, this video from the University Of California looks at ageing's effects on driving. The statistics and projections contained in the video show that the problem of older motorists is common to almost all Western nations, including, of course, Australia. |
 The Victorian licensing authority, VicRoads, sets out driver licence conditions, including state laws regarding older drivers. This section states that there is no compulsory licence test for elderly motorists, but also advises of the self-reporting requirements pertaining to ALL drivers. https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/driver-safety/older-drivers On August 5, 2013, The Age ran a news item on VicRoads statistics, showing what seemed to be a disproportionate number of fatalities among Victoria's older drivers. The item contains comments from university researchers and from the RACV, questioning the interpretation of the figures. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/drivers-over-70-twice-as-likely-to-die-20130804-2r7pj.html August 26, the Herald-Sun's In Black and White column; the columnist, Steve Perkin, quotes two drivers who suggest the reason behind and a solution to the elderly driver mixing up the brake and the accelerator. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/in-black-and-white-lets-hope-they-didnt-predict-their-own-future/story-fni0fh7h-1226704382703 The American "think tank", the Rand Corporation, published a research brief under the title: What risks do older drivers pose to traffic safety? The brief was compiled from a report authored by David S. Loughran and Seth A. Seabury. A link to the full document is available at the bottom of the web page. The statistics and findings tally very closely with the results Australian researchers have come up with. http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9272/index1.html The British website, The Weekly Gripe is a set of pages that might be compared with a radio "shock jock" program, in which the host expresses an opinion and invites the public to phone in and comment. In the case of The Gripe, comments are made in text form. The item titled, ''Old drivers create chaos on the roads'' elicited many comments below the main item. The page can be found at: http://www.weeklygripe.co.uk/a435.asp The Victorian Transport Accident Commission is a state-government-owned organization set up to pay for treatment and support of road accident victims. The TAC also promotes road safety. In a section entitled ''Older drivers: road safety for ageing road users'', the TAC offers everything from statistics on deaths and injuries to tips on how older drivers can stay safe behind the wheel, as well as setting out the warning signs that should prompt an older driver to consider whether to cease being a motorist http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/safe-driving/older-drivers In an editorial published in October 2012, the Toronto Star, a Canadian newspaper, called for more testing to be done on older drivers, to detect especially those with cognitive impairment and conditions like dementia. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2012/02/13/ontario_must_weed_out_elderly_drivers_who_are_not_safe_behind_the_wheel.html The Monash University Accident Research Centre has reported on a program it developed called ''Seniors driving longer, smarter, safer'', in which groups of older motorists were provided with information aimed at raising awareness of the increased accident and injury risk that comes with ageing. The program also provided tips and strategies aimed at keeping seniors on the road safely, as long as possible. The report abstract is available at http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/reports/muarc303.html The full report on the program is available from: http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/reports/muarc303.pdf The American Cato Institute "think tank" published an opinion piece, ''The role of public transportation in the lives of elderly and disabled riders'', by Randal O'Toole, an institute fellow and member of a subcommittee on housing, transportation and community development in the US Senate. O'Toole is critical of almost all aspects of public transit, from buses to trains to light rail. Much of the problem, he suggests, is in the state or local authority owning and operating public transport. O'Toole suggests that private operators could provide cheaper, more efficient services, including to the disabled and elderly, if the unfair competition from taxpayer-subsidised public transport were to cease. http://www.cato.org/publications/congressional-testimony/role-public-transportation-lives-elderly-disabled-riders In the ABC's The Drum, on February 15, 2012, Alan Davies, a Melbourne urban and regional planner, wrote an opinion piece entitled ''The public transport dilemma''. Davies criticised those advocating public transport as an ideal, instead suggesting that cars and driving be made more environmentally friendly, safer and cheaper. The comments under the article are also interesting http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/32836.html The NRMA motoring organization published a list of features older drivers should look for when buying a car. The list is under the heading, ''The right car for you'' and can be seen at: http://www.nrmasaferdriving.com.au/finding-the-right-car.htm The Claris Law website, ''The Legal Examiner'' published an item entitled ''Older drivers and emerging vehicle technologies'', byt Matt Gurwell, in July, 2013. The author points out that ''information overload'' could be a factor when an older motorist has to use features and interpret lights and sounds in a modern, electronics-rich vehicle. The article can be accessed at: http://www.legalexaminer.com/automobile-accidents/older-drivers-and-emerging-vehicle-safety-technologies/ 
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