What every driver over 75 must now do again

After being on hold for two years due to Covid-19 restrictions, a Queensland driving rule for senior motorists will soon be reinstated. Don’t get caught out.

Strict measures requiring senior motorists to hold a current medical certificate when they hit the road will be reinstated following a two year hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Motorists aged 75 or over will need to ensure they have an up to date medical certificate by August 1 – or they face being hit with an on the spot fine if they are busted driving without one.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) says with Queensland’s high vaccination rate, the pause on medical checks initiated during Covid to stop the spread of the virus is no longer needed.

Drivers over 75 must once again get regular medical checks in Queensland.

The pause meant there could be some drivers who have not been assessed for more than two years – while others who turned 75 during the pause may never have obtained a medical certificate.

“Some medical conditions can become more prevalent with age,” a TMR spokeswoman said.

“Regular medical check-ups help older drivers with early detection and management of conditions which could affect their ability to drive safely.”

Drivers aged 75 and over who are caught without a current medical certificate risk being given an on the spot fine of $143, or a maximum penalty of $2,757 if the matter is taken to court.

The Department will soon write to affected licence holders to inform them of their obligation – with an August 1 resumption date set to give them time to see their doctor.

A petition lodged earlier this year, which attracted 1,762 signatures, called for the medical checks to be abolished – describing them as stressful, costly, unjustified, and discriminatory.

But Transport Minister Mark Bailey ruled out taking any such action, saying there were no “current plans” to make changes.

A car being driven by an elderly man mounted another car in a Brisbane suburb.

“The Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland has analysed the age groups of drivers involved in fatal traffic incidents,” he wrote in a letter last month responding to the petition.

“Assessment of which road users are most at fault in traffic crashes by age revealed a U-shaped curve, with young drivers typically having a high level of fault which declines in the mature years, before increasing again from age 60.

“The most significant increase occurs among those aged 75 years and older who are considered most at fault in 80 per cent of crashes in which they are involved.”

Under the rules, medical certificates remain valid for a maximum of 13 months.