One study found that about 30 percent of senior citizens aged 60 and above are still actively driving and potentially increasing the country’s road accident rate.
The study was conducted by the Road Safety Research Center, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in June last year. The majority of senior drivers were found to be driving alone with a frequency of at least once or twice a week, according to the study.
Head of the Road Safety Research Center, Faculty of Engineering UPM, Associate Professor Dr. Law Teik Hua, said that with increasing age, their risk of becoming victims or causes of accidents is higher.
“Based on our study focusing on the Peninsula by interviewing respondents in small towns and cities, it shows that many accidents occur outside urban areas. In urban areas, accidents may be slightly less common among senior drivers, unless in specific locations such as Kampung Pandan and Cheras where some are still driving.
Rural area situations
However, Teik Hua mentioned that in small towns or rural areas, most senior citizens are still actively driving, with some of them making journeys at least once a day back and forth.
“In small towns and rural areas, we found that at least 30 percent of senior citizens are still actively driving, with most of them using motorcycles. There are many factors that encourage them to keep driving, and one of them is psychology, as some feel capable of driving.
“This is related to their ego even though they are aware of their advanced age and face various physical constraints, such as slow movements, blurred vision especially at night or during rain, impaired hearing, and declining health compared to before.
“Therefore, with a high percentage of senior citizens still driving, it is not surprising that this group is involved in many accidents. Moreover, many senior citizens are also categorized as persons with disabilities (PWD), making them more prone to accidents,” he said.
Solution from the authorities?
Furthermore, although many accidents involving senior citizens are a reality, they are not reported due to sympathy and reluctance to prolong cases. Moreover, he said, many accident cases also involve senior citizens that lead to fatalities, yet there is no truly proactive measure to address the issue.
As of now, there has been no government policy that is truly serious in addressing issues involving elderly drivers, and more worrisome, we are currently heading towards an aging nation. Commenting on whether the government should tighten the application or renewal of licenses for elderly drivers, Teik Hua said that it can only be done if the government is prepared with special alternative transportation facilities for senior drivers.
We at Engear have previously written last year urging the government and authorities to consider requiring the elderly to undergo regular health check-ups before renewing their driver’s licenses.
Furthermore, in September 2021, the Director of Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department of the Royal Malaysian Police at that time, Datuk Azisman Alias, suggested that special conditions be imposed on driving license holders among the elderly before they are allowed to renew their documents.
He said that proposing to introduce such special conditions is for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the elderly themselves and other road users. This is because, according to him, the state of physical health is also one of the factors in accidents, with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and vision problems being faced by the elderly.
“We can see cases of driving against traffic becoming a trend, including cases involving elderly individuals aged 60 and above. This indirectly can lead to accidents on the road,” said Azisman. However, of course, this matter cannot be implemented suddenly. It needs to be supported by aspects such as good public transportation.
Road infrastructure also needs to be in good condition to allow the elderly to walk towards the nearest bus/LRT station, for example. In our opinion, it is still far for Malaysia to reach this level, but gradual steps can be taken. And it needs to start now. If not now, then when?