QLD Yearly Drivers Licence Medical from 2014 for 75 Years and over

[csv8]

DRIVERS over 75 years old on Queensland roads will only have to sit a medical examination once a year, under reforms to the state's driving licenses.

The changes will also include more rigorous education of learner drivers under the Q-SAFE system, Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said on Sunday.

Mr Emerson said the reforms came after community consultations last year, and were recommended by a group of leading road safety experts.

"There is a focus on ensuring our younger drivers are better prepared and educated as they are the most at-risk group when it comes to fatalities on our roads," he said.

"Last year 84 young drivers were involved in fatal crashes - five ahead of the previous year.

"For the first time in 15 years we will be making changes to the Q-SAFE program, which will now include a greater emphasis on high-risk manoeuvres such as turning across on-coming traffic or merging at higher speeds."

The pilot for the new test is expected to be in place by mid-2014.

He said the changes for older drivers would see medical certificates for drivers 75 years or older valid for a full 12 month period from 2014, and possible changes to tests for motorcyclists seeking their licence.

My comment : This is a good idea... I am 60+ and have to pass a medical every 2 years because of my medical problems.. A Dr can now advise the Dept of Transport if a patient isn't fit too drive..This makes it compulsory..

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by csv8

DRIVERS over 75 years old on Queensland roads will only have to sit a medical examination once a year, under reforms to the state's driving licenses.

The changes will also include more rigorous education of learner drivers under the Q-SAFE system, Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said on Sunday.

Mr Emerson said the reforms came after community consultations last year, and were recommended by a group of leading road safety experts.

"There is a focus on ensuring our younger drivers are better prepared and educated as they are the most at-risk group when it comes to fatalities on our roads," he said.

"Last year 84 young drivers were involved in fatal crashes - five ahead of the previous year.

"For the first time in 15 years we will be making changes to the Q-SAFE program, which will now include a greater emphasis on high-risk manoeuvres such as turning across on-coming traffic or merging at higher speeds."

The pilot for the new test is expected to be in place by mid-2014.

He said the changes for older drivers would see medical certificates for drivers 75 years or older valid for a full 12 month period from 2014, and possible changes to tests for motorcyclists seeking their licence.

My comment : This is a good idea... I am 60+ and have to pass a medical every 2 years because of my medical problems.. A Dr can now advise the Dept of Transport if a patient isn't fit too drive..This makes it compulsory..

a good idea. might stop the amount of accidents I've seen/heard about where an elderly person accidently hits the accelerator instead of the brake also they need too bring in compulsory driver defensive courses for newer drivers

[Burnout]

Originally Posted by csv8

DRIVERS over 75 years old on Queensland roads will only have to sit a medical examination once a year, under reforms to the state's driving licenses.

I'm not sure I'll want to be a Doctor at 75.........

[jpd80]

Surprisingly, older drivers don't make up a significant number of serious accidents or fatalities.
I do agree with the annual medical certificate for drivers over 75 because some do hold on
longer than they should and not passing a medical is a good way to stop tragedy before it happens.

I do agree with the notion that a lot of accidents are caused by aggressive driving and poor judgement
but how do you test new drivers for those dangerous events, something that's clearly learned behavior.

Maybe we all need nanny protection of TV cameras in cars and GPS plotters to record our every movements
to be reviewed to death by safety experts with the power to witdraw license privileged at a moments notice....

When those days of souless boring driving comes, I will gladly turn in my license and take the bus....

[XHBrad]

Originally Posted by wildrider

a good idea. might stop the amount of accidents I've seen/heard about where an elderly person accidently hits the accelerator instead of the brake also they need too bring in compulsory driver defensive courses for newer drivers

This happens all to often, where i live the major proportion of residents are elderly, alot you see getting in there cars having to lift there legs inside the door to the pedals.. if they have to lift there feet across the pedals how do they stop in an emergency??

But i think what is more important is a refresher of traffic rules and safety, the rules have changed alot in the three years ive had my licence let alone 50-60 years they have had there licences..

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Surprisingly, older drivers don't make up a significant number of serious accidents or fatalities.

I thought I saw some stats somewhere that showed elderly people don't make huge numbers overall in accidents, but they are a much smaller group than the other age groups. So I think they still have a high percentage of accidents.

[Itsme]

Why only 75 & over, it should be for every one regardless of age if you want safety on the roads.
You be surprised how many younger people under 75 who have problems.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by trublu

Why only 75 & over, it should be for every one regardless of age if you want safety on the roads.
You be surprised how many younger people under 75 who have problems.

Yes a 5 yearly medical similar to a PPL medical would, I believe, lead to a significant reduction in vehicle incidents.

[Pedro]

I agree with QLD Yearly Drivers Licence Medical for 75 Years and over.
It will weed out the incompetent and those presenting a risk through health problems.

I am 72 years old but I look after my body with exercise, a healthy diet.
Despite spirited driving most of my life, I've only had one crash in 55 years when I wrote off my BF F6 when I encountered a road covered in oil.
I can still punt an F6 around Lakeside in the higher end of times and have easily passed the test put to learner drivers as I've kept myself educated to any new rules that have been introduced. (Can't say the same for most road users).

[TheSneakiness]

I don't want to put a negative on this but after the efforts of our senior drivers I witnessed over the weekend the age should be pulled back to at least 70.

Doing 80km/h in a 100km/h on the most dangerous highway in and out of Brisbane known as the Centenary screams accident.

[2011G6E]

I thought they already did...?

Some of the other announcements on licencing proposals didn't really make sense...they wheeled out the old "overtraining isn't good for new drivers" bullcrap, saying that preparing new drivers by giving them skid pan and slide control training "breeds over confidance". Guess we'd better pare back those years of training they give airline pilots before letting them fly an airliner because it would breed over confidance. I don't know why I spent a year and a half learning how to drive a train before being let out on my own...it obviously breeds over confidance...
I didn't think it was actually possible to be "over trained" or "over prepared" for doing a task...especially driving. The place to "finish off your learning" isn't out on the public roads unsupervised...

The motorcycle one was odd too...already they've made it a lot harder and are obviously trying to discourage people by making you get a car licence before being allowed near a bike, but now they are saying that before you are allowed to get a motorcycle learners licence, you have to "prove you have basic riding skills"...in other words, you have to prove you can ride before they let you get a learners...
Why not do the same for car drivers...?

[STINKY NINJA]

Every single driver/rider who holds any type of license should be drug tested and have a medical every 12 months,it would reduce the number of accidents by a fair whack if health or age affected,drug drivers just werent allowed to drive.
And the tests should be done randomly to combat drug cheats...
This should be done australia wide and if you have nothing to hide it shouldnt be an issue.

[GTP owner]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Surprisingly, older drivers don't make up a significant number of serious accidents or fatalities.
I do agree with the annual medical certificate for drivers over 75 because some do hold on
longer than they should and not passing a medical is a good way to stop tragedy before it happens.

I do agree with the notion that a lot of accidents are caused by aggressive driving and poor judgement
but how do you test new drivers for those dangerous events, something that's clearly learned behavior.

Maybe we all need nanny protection of TV cameras in cars and GPS plotters to record our every movements
to be reviewed to death by safety experts with the power to witdraw license privileged at a moments notice....

When those days of souless boring driving comes, I will gladly turn in my license and take the bus....

Over 75 year olds have just as many incidents per km travelled as freshly minted p platers. They also are far more likely to have a serious injury or fatality per incident due to frailty. But per driver they are safer because they don't drive as often , as far, or at high risk times.

[mik]

Personally I think they should do medical s starting from 35 years old , maybe every 5 years till tbe big 50 then perhaps more frequent depending on the dudes health, I think there would be a lot people that have medical problems and don't even know it.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

they wheeled out the old "overtraining isn't good for new drivers" bullcrap, saying that preparing new drivers by giving them skid pan and slide control training "breeds over confidance".

after working for Australia's leading (post licence) driver training organisation from 1987 to 2000 and teaching high level driver training and working in the periphery ever since, what they are saying is absolutely spot on and has been supported by many studies.

We should be training them to NOT get into a skid rather than how to "correct" one once they have mucked up.

I have spent hundreds of hours "skid" training and it is all bull-****, in fact one of the companies we trained (read 1200 drivers) asked us to put the 'skid' training back to a Monday from a Friday as the drivers (read professional drivers) were leaving and acting like idiots out on the road on the way home - hmmmmm and these were adults not novices. I hated the skid training, it was counter-productive and went against everything we had been teaching them out on the road. I did it because it was part of the curriculum.

You, like most people think that 'skid' training is 'defensive driver training' and the 2 are very, very, very different.

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Guess we'd better pare back those years of training they give airline pilots before letting them fly an airliner because it would breed over confidance

that is a nonsense argument as pilots that require simulation training are professional pilots not novices and what they are learning in the simulator cannot be simulated in real time.

[blackf6]

Dangerous goods drivers such as myself have to undergo a medical examination every year to drive the freight we do. If I fail the medical I have no job. Maybe they should bring in temperament tests as well.

[JC]

The 81 year old that killed a pedestrian today after having a "medical episode" probably would not have been on the road if this testing was in place.

I reckon this should be every 2 years from from 65, and then every year from 75. And every 5 years for everyone else - just part of the license renewal process (in ACT,we get 5 year licenses).

[karj]

Originally Posted by JC

The 81 year old that killed a pedestrian today after having a "medical episode" probably would not have been on the road if this testing was in place.

I reckon this should be every 2 years from from 65, and then every year from 75. And every 5 years for everyone else - just part of the license renewal process (in ACT,we get 5 year licenses).

I don't see how you can make that assumption. We don't yet know what happened today regarding that 81 year old... medical emergencies (eg: seizures and strokes) can hit very suddenly without much warning at all.

[MR.BA.GT.332]

meh, 12 month medical.... so what.... i have to get one every 12 months because of my epilepsy diagnosis, its not a major deal, just a quick visit to the GP, get some paperwork and off you go..... so i dunno what all the fuss is about, so IMHO, its really not a bad idea....

[mik]

agreed, Mr - 460bigblock. it is only a big deal if theres a problem that is difficult to treat or not treatable, i had a medical for my truck licence about a month ago, it was pretty painless actually, the big pain was dealing with vic roads o0.

[BHDOGS]

only 75? make it 60 atleast

[strik9]

why are we talking about medical, what they really need to pass is a refresher course on the road rules. in fact we prob all need to do one every 5 years. haha

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by strik9

why are we talking about medical, what they really need to pass is a refresher course on the road rules. in fact we prob all need to do one every 5 years. haha

I agree 100%, but don't keep it to a 'knowledge' test, it should be a 'skills' test as well

[STINKY NINJA]

Originally Posted by strik9

why are we talking about medical, what they really need to pass is a refresher course on the road rules. in fact we prob all need to do one every 5 years. haha

I agree,should be every couple of years though,it would keep 90% of bad drivers off the road...
And the driving instructors need to be tested regularly also,some of the worst drivers ive seen have been driving instructors themselves...