Retesting Drivers

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 10

Retesting Drivers

One of the anomalies of the traffic laws is that while an excellent driver with an unblemished record must be retested annually after he reaches the age of 70, a younger person who for some reason has become unfit to drive may retain his licence indefinitely without being retested. The Christchurch Road Safety Committee is seeking to have this anomaly reduced by special tests for groups of drivers chosen at random by the licensing authorities. Such a scheme would have little value unless a large proportion of drivers were tested; comprehensive testing over a period of years would surely be more

sensible. Most drivers, it must be assumed, are fit to be licensed. To require all to pass periodic tests would be administratively difficult. It would certainly prove unpopular. Under the present law a driver who allows his licence to lapse for more than a year may be required to pass a new test. Generally, however, licensing authorities lack an inherent power to retest drivers. A simple course would be to give licensing authorities a discretion to insist upon a retest where there is evidence that an applicant for renewal of a licence may have become unfit or incompetent to drive.