Ringwood’s Alfred Curtis still has his driver’s licence at 100 years old

He recently had a heart attack and he’s had a couple of near misses but Ringwood’s Alfred Curtis still has his driver’s licence. And he says he can drive “anywhere in Australia” — as long as he has one thing with him.

Ringwood’s Alfred Curtis turned 100 on July 5 and still has his driver's licence and drives his car. Picture: David Caird.

Not even a heart attack six weeks before hitting the ton could keep Alfred Curtis off the roads.

The Ringwood man, who celebrated his 100th birthday on July 5, has been driving for nearly 80 years and still has his licence.

He drives his grey Toyota Corolla to church at Kangaroo Ground every Sunday and occasionally to the Ringwood North shops.

“I can drive anywhere in Australia as long as I wear my glasses,” he said.

“It’s nice to be able to get out and get away when you want to.”

“After so much experience, a lot of it (driving) is automatic.”

Mr Curtis still recalls taking his driving test in Melbourne’s CBD aged 21 — he nearly failed after he had trouble parking in Russell St.

Alfred Curtis, 100, still drives his car to the local shops and to church on Sundays. Picture: David Caird

“I had to drive around the city streets, and park on the side of a hill,” he said.

“A couple of times I started off and stopped, and he (the instructor) said, ‘If you don’t go this time, I’ll fail you.’”

Mr Curtis has owned nine cars in his life — his first being a Morris Twelve utility which belonged to his cousin.

He later upgraded to a combi van which he drove his five children around in the 1950s and 60s.

“I’ve driven the equivalent of the moon and back — probably over 500,000 miles in my lifetime,” he said.

Mr Curtis said good health and responsible driving had helped him keep his driver’s licence.

Alfred Curtis, 100, with daughter Alice Robins, 68, going for a spin in Ringwood. Picture: David Caird

He’s never done a burnout and he doesn’t listen to the radio or blast music in the car.

“I was one of a family of nine, and in the depression my dad was put off work and we were living in poverty,’’ he said.

“I had to learn to be very economical and I wasn’t going to waste money and time and petrol and wear on tyres and things like that.”

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Daughter Alice Robins, 68, said she worried about her father’s driving as she believed the roads had gotten more dangerous.

But she is glad he can still do an activity he loves and maintain his independence.

“He just appreciates the country, loves driving and loves being able to get to places on his own and doing his thing,” Alice said.

Mr Curtis said he hoped to keep driving for as long as he can or until he “gets too feeble”.

He’s also the fourth member of the centenarian club at Blue Willows Aged Care, joining fellow residents Allie Melrose (103), Lorraine Nipper (102) and Jim Bruce (100).

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