Too old to drive on the road?

Deaths, injuries involving elderly drivers have tripled, but insurers don't see them as unsafe.

More elderly drivers here and in other places such as Japan have been killed or injured on the roads in recent years. In Japan last month, the rising numbers led to the police urging such people - the so-called 'grey drivers' - to give up their licences.

But what makes for a safe driver depends on several factors, and age is only one of them.

Indeed, police spokesman Danny Tan told The Sunday Times that there is 'no specific concern' that old drivers are more at risk on the road.

Statistics from the Singapore police show a tripling, over the four years since 2003, in the number of drivers aged 65 and above killed or injured in road accidents.

In 2003, the death and injury toll was 24. But this shot up to 74 last year. Moreover, last year's figure was a 45 per cent rise from 2006.

But all this has to be seen in context.

In 2006, 179 young drivers aged 30 to 34 were killed or injured on the roads here. Just one casualty shy were drivers aged 50 to 54 that year: 178 killed or injured.

In Japan, the number of drivers aged 70 or older killed or injured in road accidents jumped by 30 per cent over the past six years.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police saw this as an alarming trend and embarked on a campaign to urge elderly drivers there to ditch their cars and surrender their licences.

In Singapore, the police see no reason to have such a campaign.

The police spokesman pointed out that those aged 65 and over make up only about 6 per cent of the 1,252 drivers killed or injured last year.

Insurers, too, do not view grey drivers as a bad risk, premium-wise. Such drivers tend to pay lower premiums than their younger counterparts.

For instance, a 68-year-old who drives a Mitsubitshi Lancer and has been driving for more than 40 years will pay about $700 a year for his insurance premium.

The sum is higher - about $3,500 - for a 23-year-old driving the same model, but who has just got his licence.

Said Mr Justin Yeo, an agent with the American International Group (AIG): 'It is assumed that the older drivers have more experience and are seen to be wiser and safer.'

Moreover, the 75,000 drivers here aged 65 and above - out of 1.4 million licensed drivers - must pass a medical examination every three years to renew their licences.

It includes blood pressure, eyesight, colour blindness and diabetes checks done by a doctor.

Cabbies aged 70 and above who want to continue driving have to take an additional test that is conducted by Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP).

Called the 'therapy assessment for elderly drivers', the test has off- and on-road components to test reflexes, reaction time and cognitive abilities, said Ms Lau Cheng Mun, NYP's director of the School of Health Sciences which oversees the occupational therapy driving rehabilitation clinic.

Since the clinic opened two years ago, 65 elderly cabbies have gone through its doors. Sixteen - an average failure rate of 25 per cent - did not make the cut.

TTSH declined to reveal its figures.

One doctor felt this 'therapy assessment for elderly drivers' could be extended to all drivers aged 65 and above. Dr Ivor Thevathasan, 67, from Raffles Medical Group, said: 'By going for this test, older people like me can prove we can still handle the wheel capably.'