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MANY believe that health screening should be included as an additional condition before individuals 70-years-old and above are allowed to renew their driving licenses.
In a poll on Berita Harian’s Facebook, 88 per cent voted in favour, while the remainder disagreed that health screening should be implemented for senior citizens before driving licenses are renewed.
Facebook user Muhammad Syafiq Ismail said he agreed in principle with the proposal because health screening can help objectively assess driving ability.
"Health checks for individuals aged 70 and above can help objectively assess driving ability and improve road safety.
"However, the implementation needs to be fair and not burdensome, with reasonable costs and a simple process. What is important is that the assessment is made based on the individual's health condition, not just age," he said.
Meanwhile, another Facebook user, Ramzah Zaharah, believes that the additional conditions are unnecessary because age does not necessarily determine a person's ability to drive safely.
"People who are old and have health problems usually don't want to drive anymore. But if they are still healthy and can drive, I don't think there is anything to worry about.
"When viewed in terms of accidents, many cases also involve young drivers and other factors such as driving under the influence of alcohol, which also need to be considered," he said.
Reasonable proposal for health check-ups
Previously, BH reported that the proposal to make health checks mandatory as an additional condition for renewing driving licenses starting at the age of 70 is seen to have reasonable justification and should be considered in this country, especially in the context of improving road safety.
Road safety and health experts are of the view that increasing life expectancy and the growth of the elderly population are encouraging more people to continue driving into old age, thus demanding a more systematic approach in assessing the fitness level of drivers.
According to the Head of the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Road Safety Research Centre, Prof Dr Law Teik Hua, health factors can have a direct impact on a person's ability to operate a vehicle safely.
In terms of health, the risk increases with age, especially if the driver is elderly, because they are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, vision problems and poor reaction to changes.
Elderly drivers should not be blamed
However, Public Health Physician, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, does not agree that elderly drivers are 'blamed' simply because they are considered the most at-risk group on the road.
On the other hand, she sees that young people are also not exempt from suffering from diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, mental stress and seizures, thus it is reasonable for them to also undergo health screening.
In addition, she suggested that the government should conduct strict health screenings for drivers who drink alcohol, abuse drugs and are easily agitated. - May 29, 2026
