5100 licences lost to ill health
Family members report unfit drivers
ALMOST 100 drivers are being banned from Victorian roads every week after being reported by family, friends, doctors and the public.
The licences of 5100 drivers were suspended or cancelled in 2020-21 after failing a VicRoads medical review.
It is down on the 5600 people the previous year.
But there were 122,000 Victorian motorists registered for a medical review in July.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victorian member Genevieve Yates said Victoria now had an online reporting system that made it harder for unfit drivers to “doctor shop”.
“In Victoria we now have an online reporting system, and beforehand people had to bring in a form and if they didn’t like the result, they would doctor shop,” Dr Yates said. “Reporting to VicRoads is now direct, making it more transparent and genuine and doctors have a greater awareness of their obligations.
“It’s a positive thing for road safety that people who are unfit to drive are off our roads.”
Of the 122,000 Victorians registered for a medical review, about 12,157 people were aged 80-89 and 3773 were aged over 90.
More than 40 per cent of drivers registered were aged less than 60.
Dr Yates said new national standards for medically clearing a person to drive would be introduced next year.
Victorian licence holders aged over 75 have their licences renewed every three years and decide their own fitness to drive, but family, friends, police and doctors are urged to report at-risk drivers to VicRoads.
About 90,000 drivers are assessed by VicRoads through the medical review process every year, with 85 per cent of those continuing to drive without further reviews or with conditions placed on their licence. And 60 per cent of the reviews are initiated by the drivers themselves.
A transport department spokeswoman said: “Driver licences or permits are only suspended or cancelled for medical reasons if someone is assessed against the national fitness to drive standards as medically unfit to drive, fails or refuses to undertake a driving assessment or does not provide a medical report upon request.”