Deciding what age is too old to drive is an emotionally charged issue for many families, but it’s hoped a new online test will revolutionise the process.
Key points:
UQ researchers are developing an online driving test to help assess the reaction times of dementia patients
NSW is the only state with compulsory practical tests for elderly drivers to renew their licence
With an ageing population, more senior drivers face the prospect of losing their ability to drive
For drivers aged 75 and older, in some Australian states, a GP must complete a medical assessment to determine whether they are safe to drive.
However, there is no standardised diagnostic tool for GPs.
The decision is often made within a 15-minute appointment — sometimes after “doctor shopping” — with the life-altering outcome potentially impacting the senior’s independence or, in some cases, endangering the lives of others.
A crash on the Gold Coast last week left a five-year-old girl with serious head injuries and a pedestrian injured when a car, with an 87-year-old behind the wheel, mounted the kerb in reverse.
In 2018, six-year-old Indie Armstrong died on the Sunshine Coast after a car driven by an 86-year-old reversed into her family at a shopping centre.
Ipswich GP and University of Queensland emeritus professor Geoff Mitchell said doctors relied on “blunt instruments” like basic memory tests when signing off on people’s fitness to hold a driver’s licence.
University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine’s Emeritus Professor Geoff Mitchell is still a practising GP.(Supplied: University of Queensland)
“There is a real dilemma of determining when that line has been crossed,” he said.
“[A memory test is] good at picking out really severely unwell people, but it’s not very good at testing judgement.
“You have to make a call based on their physical appearance — how quickly they walk into the surgery — and how sharp they are.”
Testing reaction time
With the proportion of Australians over 65 expected to increase from 16 to 23 per cent by 2066, more seniors will face the prospect of losing their driving ability.
While an estimated 472,000 Australians currently live with dementia, Dr Mitchell says many older drivers fall into a grey area where, despite trouble with memory and judgement, they are still capable of controlling a vehicle.
That’s where the Navigating Fitness to Drive program comes in.
The program, developed at the University of Queensland, uses dashcam videos of real-life situations to assess the reaction times of people with dementia.
Psychologist Dr Theresa Scott is the lead researcher on the fitness to drive assessment.(Supplied: University of Queensland)
The video test measures how quickly drivers respond to potentially dangerous driving scenarios.
It is similar to the online Hazard Perception Test already in place for new drivers in some states.
If a driver’s reaction times are too long, it would provide tangible evidence for GPs to make a recommendation against having a driver’s licence.
Dr Mitchell acknowledged the test would not make the process of taking away a person’s ability to drive any easier.
“It is very, very difficult and I have personal experience with this with my father,” he said.
What are the rules for older drivers?
So, what are the requirements for older drivers, and how do the rules vary in different states?
Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory are the only jurisdictions that do not mandate medical checks for drivers, regardless of age.
