Dear Editor,

After the royal bungling of the introduction of the new Road Traffic Act on February 1, 2023, the Government once again has recorded another misstep.

The government, as I understand it, is asking sexagenarians (persons over 60 years old) who wish to renew their driver’s licence to redo their driving test.

It becomes even more ridiculous where septuagenarians (persons over 70 years old) who wish to renew their licence must have a letter from a doctor proving their fitness to drive.

This begs the following questions:

(1) What percentage of the 490 road deaths recorded in 2022 was caused by drivers in the 60-70 age range?

(2) What percentage of non-fatal accidents was recorded by this age cohort?

(3) Of the thousands of traffic tickets issued annually for infringement of traffic laws, bad driving, etc, how many are issued to 60-70-year-olds?

If the answers in the above three categories are, as I suspect, below five or even 10 per cent, then what’s the point?

Truth is, individuals in the 60-70 age group are far more defensive drivers than younger ones.

Further, many people who no longer drive use their licence as a convenient form of identification.

Meanwhile, I observe scores of motorcycle riders daily flouting the helmet rule. They wear caps, hoodie and handkerchiefs; everything except the required helmet.

DaMac

damac@yahoo.com