TDRI Backs Fresh Driving Tests for the Elderly

[rooster59]

TDRI Backs Fresh Driving Tests for the Elderly

 

 

BANGKOK, Aug 8 (TNA) – The Thailand Development Research Institute supports the initiative on fresh driving tests on the people who hold lifetime driver’s licenses, especially the motorists who are 70 years old and over, for the sake of public safety. 

 

Sumet Ongkittikul, TDRI’s research director on transportation and logistics policies, said the idea of the Land Transport Department to recall lifetime driver’s licenses had been a topic of discussion among academics for a long time because it concerned road safety. 

 

The issuance of lifetime driver’s licenses stopped worldwide. It was also a policy of the countries that had issued lifetime driver’s licenses including Japan that was an aging society, he said. 

 

Full story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-494922

 

-- © Copyright TNA 2020-08-09

 

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[saakura]

In Thailand also, the practice of issuing lifetime licenses was stopped about 2 decades ago. I think this refers to those who had obtained such licenses before that. Makes sense, as eyesight, hearing and reflex responses deteriorate and slow down over the age of 65.

[Titan1962]

Also how about just enforcing the laws that already exist.

like riding a bike while not wearing a helmet.

Riding or driving without a license.

license cancellation for drink driving.

Stop issuing fines to drink drivers without loss of license.

Hopefully one day they will take road safety seriously and forget about the quick tea money involved. Thais just seem to accept that people die everyday needlessly on the roads. They seem to have the attitude as long as it’s not me I don’t care. There’s a young family live across the road from me,the young mans family are pretty well off. He smashed his BMW 2 times in one year due to being drunk,( still kept his license). Sold the BMW and bought a new Honda HRV,had all the mods done to it,3 months Later driving home drunk,hit a parked car. His misses had to go to the police station and pay 20,000 baht to get him out. He paid for the other cars repairs. But still driving and comes home drunk as a skunk at least once a week. Can’t even get the key in the front door,just walks around the house calling out to his misses to open the door. So as long as this behaviour continues,nothing will change.

[sweatalot]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

hailand Development Research Institute supports the initiative on fresh driving tests on the people who hold lifetime driver’s licenses, especially the motorists who are 70 years old and over, for the sake of public safety

making yearly tests of intelligence and mental stability compulsory would be much better for the sake of public safety

[JusticeGB]

Banning motorbike drivers for one year for not wearing helmets and confiscating their motorcycles for one year would have the desired effect of making the idiots not wearing crash helmets wear them.

[Pedrogaz]

I don't think the elderly are the cause of most accidents here. There seem to be three principles causes: 1) speeding especially on motorcycles 2) ignorance of driving rules by motorcyclists eg driving on pavement and writing way up one way systems 3) alcohol.

 

Thailand could cut its road death toll by 75% if the police would enforce these rules 365 days a year.

[holy cow cm]

My wife has a lifetime license. Honestly these morons need to figure it out that the elderly are not the problem. 

[gamini]

I am wondering how this will affect me. I have driving licence for life issued 40 years ago. Not that  drive any more. But I'm just curious. Not long ago I went to change my licence for the new type one. But they refused to change it and said that they are no longer available to foreigners. But they assured me it was perfectly legal for me to drive with it for the rest of my life.

[digger70]

6 hours ago, sweatalot said:

making yearly tests of intelligence and mental stability compulsory would be much better for the sake of public safety

That would solve the problem ,there wouldn't be many drivers on the roads.????

[ben2talk]

7 hours ago, Titan1962 said:

Also how about just enforcing the laws that already exist.

like riding a bike while not wearing a helmet.

Riding or driving without a license.

Wow, of all the laws you want to reinforce - how about simply having police cars/bikes actively working on stopping drivers who don't drive properly?

 

Start, maybe, with some driving schools and a proper driving test for anyone wanting to drive - and obviously re-testing for people involved in accidents as a beginning (I'm sure there's no way there can be enough capacity to re-test everyone as there isn't yet any real capacity for real training or testing of anybody).

 

You also miss the point that they DO have 'proper' police - like the highway (sharks) police - but that they simply appear to be more for show... as is this news article.

Edited August 9, 2020 by ben2talk

[Gandtee]

8 hours ago, saakura said:

In Thailand also, the practice of issuing lifetime licenses was stopped about 2 decades ago. I think this refers to those who had obtained such licenses before that. Makes sense, as eyesight, hearing and reflex responses deteriorate and slow down over the age of 65.

'Eyesight, hearing and reflex responses deteriorate and slow down over the age of 65.' This seems to apply to many drivers here who are well under 70 years of age. 

Also their brains do not engage when they get behind the steering wheel. I've just returned from a round trip Rayong/Sattahip and seen many examples of this. I'm pretty sure the drivers were not over 70 years old. If so the roads must have been flooded with geriatric drivers. Not only me.????

[steve187]

4 hours ago, JusticeGB said:

Banning motorbike drivers for one year for not wearing helmets and confiscating their motorcycles for one year would have the desired effect of making the idiots not wearing crash helmets wear them.

a bit over the top

[natway09]

It makes perfect sense even though it affects me

[Gandtee]

31 minutes ago, steve187 said:

a bit over the top

 

32 minutes ago, steve187 said:

a bit over the top

It's because they don't have a bit over the top. A helmet.????

[Peterphuket]

9 hours ago, Titan1962 said:

Also how about just enforcing the laws that already exist.

like riding a bike while not wearing a helmet.

Riding or driving without a license.

license cancellation for drink driving.

Stop issuing fines to drink drivers without loss of license.

Hopefully one day they will take road safety seriously and forget about the quick tea money involved. Thais just seem to accept that people die everyday needlessly on the roads. They seem to have the attitude as long as it’s not me I don’t care. There’s a young family live across the road from me,the young mans family are pretty well off. He smashed his BMW 2 times in one year due to being drunk,( still kept his license). Sold the BMW and bought a new Honda HRV,had all the mods done to it,3 months Later driving home drunk,hit a parked car. His misses had to go to the police station and pay 20,000 baht to get him out. He paid for the other cars repairs. But still driving and comes home drunk as a skunk at least once a week. Can’t even get the key in the front door,just walks around the house calling out to his misses to open the door. So as long as this behaviour continues,nothing will change.

What you propose is too difficult to implement, keep it easy TIT.

Sarc/off