Top cop wants doctors to dob in elderly drivers

Victoria’s new top traffic cop is calling on doctors to report elderly motorists and other patients that they believe should be retested.

Just one week into the job, Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane announced his aggressive plans to bring down the state’s road toll – starting with doctors not turning a blind eye to unfit drivers.

He said those with elderly parents should follow suit and make sure they if they are driving, they are doing so in a safe car.

“If mum or dad are still driving and they are in their early 70s maybe it’s time to not let them save the nest egg to pass on to the children but to get them to update their car to a safer one,” Mr Leane told the Herald Sun.

4BC reporter Ben Davis backed Mr Leane’s plans for a shake-up, saying drivers above the age of 70 should be retested and suggesting the introduction of “S plates” for senior drivers.

He said the plates weren’t to “point out deficiencies” but rather to just give drivers a heads up that the motorist in front of them is elderly and to take more precautions

“I had a lot of people phone up and say that their mum and dad should not be driving, they are too old, the eyesight and hearing is gone but the doctors are just ticking boxes,” he told Sunrise.

The planned major shake-up could also see drowsy drivers caught out on the new high-tech long-range cameras also forced to undergo further testing.

Mr Leane also suggested the introduction of more 40km/h roads in Melbourne’s CBD, lowering the speed limits in country areas and a 50 per cent increase in roadside drug testing.

“If I am going to make a difference I have to do more than just deliver more of the same,” he added.

“We need to find a game changer in relation to drugs and driving, we need to find game changers in relation to vehicle safety and we need to find game changers around enforcement and safer roads.”