Australia should enforce stricter laws for senior drivers, requiring mandatory eye tests more frequently and in every state. That’s the message from road safety experts, who told Yahoo News not enough is being done to keep Aussies safe on our roads.
In October, Australian Government data revealed deaths in the 65+ age group had increased by 14.1 per cent over the 10 years to 2024. It’s similar news in other countries, with nearly one in four fatalities aged 70 or older in Britain.
That statistic has prompted the government in the UK to propose stricter laws, including mandatory eye checks every three years for drivers 70 years and older.
In Australia, the biggest age group for road fatalities is 40 to 64 years. In 2024, there were 403 deaths in that age group, an 8 per cent increase over the decade.
It compares to 308 deaths for those aged 65 and over in 2024. Of those to die on our roads in 2024 over 64, 159 were behind the wheel, 40 were passengers, 36 were motorcyclists, 61 were pedestrians, 10 cyclists and two unknown.
Some Australian states and territories require annual medical checks for older drivers, while others rely on drivers to self-report any issues that could impact their driving fitness.
But are the current rules enough?
Scroll down to see state-by-state requirements.
Experts say the current requirements for senior drivers are simply not enough. Source: Getty
Current requirements are ‘nowhere near close enough’
“Vision is the number one physical factor that you need to have in good shape for safe driving,” Russell White, CEO and Founder of Australian Road Safety Foundation, told Yahoo News.
“Degeneration of vision, obviously, can vary from person to person, and it’s not necessarily age specific. So simply to leave it to the very end of someone’s driving career, I don’t think goes anywhere near close enough to the annual, or the normal requirements we should have for drivers.”
White said he would like to see mandatory eye exams for all drivers at the time of a licence renewal, regardless of their age.
“But I think for older drivers, we probably do need to increase the frequency of that,” he said, adding a “nationally consistent approach” would be beneficial for all.
States that rely on self-assessment systems may inadvertently allow elderly drivers with declining medical fitness to remain licensed.
Coupled with road toll data, the laxed laws “seem crazy”, White said.
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“Ultimately, we’ve got to look at the safety aspect of it. And if the cost of that mobility is a car crash or somebody’s life, well, then we have to place the higher priority on that.
“It’s for everybody’s sake. It’s not a one-way thing, it’s for everybody’s safety on the road.”
Highest risk age groups are the young and elderly
White said the number of road deaths consistently show higher fatalities in two demographics — young, inexperienced drivers and those in their late 40s and above.
“It’s not something that’s just reserved to the 70-plus bracket. It’s something that starts much earlier than that,” he said.
“Towards the end of your driving career, your reflexes aren’t as good as they once were, vision is not as good as it once was. And if you’re involved in a crash, the chance of you being injured is much higher.”
White said older drivers are an “underestimated” area of road safety, and while there is a lot of focus on new licence holders, “equally there is a problem with experienced drivers”.
State-by-state requirements for older drivers
In NSW:
Medical check required annually for drivers over 75
Yearly medical check and on-road assessment every two years for drivers over 85
Victoria:
Older drivers do not need to pass a licence test when they reach a certain age. The responsibility is up to the driver to decide when to reduce or stop driving
Tasmania:
It is up to the driver to regularly assess their own fitness to drive
Only people with a medical condition may be required to undergo periodic health checks
Queensland:
Drivers over the age of 75 must undergo an annual medical check and always carry a medical certificate when driving
Western Australia:
Drivers over 80 must undergo an annual medical assessment before their licence can be renewed
South Australia:
Drivers are sent a self-assessment in the mail once they turn 75. It can be completed independently, however if the driver answers ‘yes’ to any question, or is unsure about something in the assessment, a doctor’s visit will be required to complete the form
Northern Territory:
All drivers regardless of age are required to pass an eye test every five years
“A medical assessment is only required when a health professional has notified the Registrar of Motor Vehicles when they reasonably believe that a person they have examined is physically or mentally incapable of driving a vehicle,” the Road Safety NT site explains
ACT:
Drivers are required to pass an eye test once they turn 50, 60, 65 and 70.
Licence holders who are 75 or older need an annual medical assessment from their doctor
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