The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Thursday, May 11, 1967 — The suggestion in Parliament by Mr J R Ryan, Rhodesian Front Member for Salisbury Central, that “old and decrepit” people should be banned from driving, has aroused indignation among aged people in Bulawayo.

One man of 90 who still drives a car, said yesterday that the suggestion was “absurd”. He was confident he could drive a car anywhere with safety and remain in complete control.

There were many people over 80 who were driving safely, he said. And he himself would have no objection to another driving test.

Mr C E M Moore, chairman of the Bulawayo Over 60s Club, said that as far as he could recall there were no members of his club who drove, apart from himself.

But he said some people over the age of 80 were risky, while others were as safe as anyone else.

He stressed that the decision depended on the individual and that the suggestion made by Mr Ryan was far too broad.

He agreed that a second driving test for people over 75 would be a good idea.

Mr J E Donkin, chairman of the Bulawayo and District Road Safety Association, said he could not comment further than to ask how Mr Ryan was going to define “decrepit.”

The matter had not been discussed by the association but if statistics to prove that aged drivers caused accidents were presented to the association, the question would be discussed.

Mr Donkin said he doubted if any such statistics were available.