Opinion | Ease Hong Kong’s concerns over elderly taxi drivers with tighter health checks, not harsh penalties
- Rather than a hard age limit on driving or harsher penalties for dangerous or careless driving, the focus should be on more effective health checks for all drivers
- That approach, plus finding a way to regular ride-hailing services such as Uber, can nudge the market towards sorting out its own issues
It is striking how one’s perspective changes with age. When I was a young driver, I wanted all those old fogeys in front of me banned from the road for blocking my way. How dare they be so slow to move off when the lights change? Don’t they know some of us have places to go and things to do?
Now in my 70s, I tend to be much more understanding of a safe and steady driving style. It’s true that where you stand on an issue tends to depend on where you sit, in this case literally.
All drivers above 70 must undergo a health check to renew their licences, every three years for private motorists and some commercial drivers, annually for others. The question is whether the checks should begin at an earlier age – 60, for instance – whether it should be more frequent and whether the existing check are thorough enough.
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Common sense suggests most drivers in need of a health certificate would in practice consult their local doctor. That person would be more familiar with the driver’s medical history, which is a positive, but by definition the latter would be a regular source of income for the doctor’s practice which could give rise to a generous assessment.