The European Commission is moving forward with a proposal that older car drivers should undergo mandatory health checks. It reports Swedens radio.
The requirement must apply in all member states, including Sweden.
According to the proposal, it will be required that all drivers over the age of 70 undergo regular health checks in order to keep their driving licence.
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Ran a red light in the oncoming lane
Helena, whose real name is something else, has been trying to persuade her husband to stop driving because of his age.
– My husband has run a red light in the oncoming lane, says Helena to SR.
– You are crazy, was Helena’s husband’s reply when she suggested that he should stop driving.
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At risk of harming themselves
The proposal is motivated by the fact that older drivers run an increased risk of injuring themselves in traffic.
“Older drivers are at higher risk of harming themselves than putting others at risk. The death rate for drivers over 75 is more than five times the average, and their injury rate is twice as high,” according to EU Commission website.
The Swedish Transport Agency is skeptical
The Swedish Transport Agency is not enthusiastic about the proposal. – It would take an enormous amount of resources from the healthcare system, says investigator Hans Yngve Berg to SR.
According to Berg, it is also difficult to investigate whether someone should have a driver’s license or not through simple health checks.
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Already mandatory in Finland
Health checks for car drivers have already been mandatory in Finland for several decades.
– We see this as a way to improve traffic safety, says Max Fogdell to SR.
– Vision defects, dementia and cognitive diseases are more common in older people, continues Fogdell, who is head of unit at the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency.
In Sweden, a health declaration and vision certificate are already a requirement for those who have a truck or bus driver’s license when the driver’s license is renewed.
Those who have a truck or bus license and are over 45 years old must submit a medical certificate when the driver’s license is renewed.
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