[Janelle Ward]

(Posted on behalf of Ian Pryor)

While on an extended trip to Queensland, my licence fell due and I needed a doctor’s certificate for fitness to hold a motor vehicle licence. This is a warning to older drivers like me.

To drive back to my own town and doctor would have required a minimum of four days’ travel plus fuel. Then return. So I visited a doctor’s surgery to obtain a certificate of fitness to drive. Well, I was charged $120. Plus I had to undergo an eyesight test. Than I had to touch my toes, stand on one leg, squat down on my hunches and waddle without falling over.

Fortunately I was very fit as I had been fossicking for sapphires. So I passed. But a warning to other travellers – do not travel interstate when your yearly licence will fall due.

Have you been caught out? Have you been travelling for an extended time and forgotten to renew your licence? Is re-testing every year too much?

[HOLA]

My Sister in Victoria who is going on 82 in September said they never have to do a Fitness Test to hold a Driver’s License. Here in N.S.W. we have to do the Eye Test and a Doctor’s examination, but never had to stand on one leg and do the Hokey Pokey. Plus the eye test is free. Unfortunately this has to be done every year now .

[Axel]

At what age are these tests required?

[clancambo]

Not a regulation in Victoria but I feel we should have a medical fitness test from the age of 65. Maybe every couple of years. ( I’m 71 by the way)>>

[Taragosun]

Axel, medical and eye test at 74 but before your 75th birthday (mine coming up) and annually thereafter.

At 85 add an actual driving test – then every two years after that – until either you hand in your licence or they give you a “modified” licence that allows you to drive “locally”.

[HOLA]

Axel –  I got a letter from the Motor Registry office when I turned 74 . They sent out a form which had to be signed by my Doctor and Eye specialist stating I am still capable to hold a driving license. 

[heyyybob]

Yep, quick eye ‘test’ and Q&A with my GP every year from 75 enabled my to keep driving.  Until this year when I turned 83 and didn’t renew my licence 🙁 I really enjoyed accident free driving in five countries in/on various vehicles and considered myself a very good driver.  I only got ‘pinged’ once when, on my 60th birthday I slowly rolled through a stop sign with nary one moving vehicle in sight in every direction 🙁  (Probationary) Constable Plod under the stern stewardship of his (Senior) partner gave me his stern lecture and wrote me my only ticket.  Yes, yes, a ‘fair cop’ so not complaining.  Howsomever, this year on my 83rd b’day I didn’t renew my licence.  Also swore that I would stop driving at 80 but kept going 😉 BUT I felt it was time to pull the plug as I didn’t want to be one of these drivers you hear/read about who suffer a ‘Medical Event’ and take or ruin some innocent persons life.  Been a couple of months now and still missing, terribly, the pleasure of driving but I am glad that I have done the right thing. Luckily my Nearest & Dearest is younger than me and has taken over driving duties.         

[RnR]

Requirements vary around the country, see below:

[KSS]

I don’t have much sympathy for Ian Pryor or his ilk. Frankly, if you don’t know when your license expires perhaps it’s time to hand it in! 

And if you don’t and you go to some random GP who does not know you or your medical history then I would expect nothing less than a full work-over. It should never be a tick-and-flick exercise to retain a driving license. 

After all, it is not unknown for people to be very economical with the truth when it comes to retaining driving privileges.

[johnp]

A couple of weeks after my 75th birthday.

A friend told me that I was supposed to get a medical certificate for driving due to turning 75. I also had heard rumors about this anyway. I went down to the Department of Main Roads and asked about that. They gave me a four page form and said “get the doctor to fill in his page and the optometrist to fill in his part” I made an appointment with the doctor and after looking at it, he said “you will first need to have an eye test and get them to fill in their page”.

I made the appointment with the optometrist and proceeded to go there in a few days.The optometrist found a slight issue with my eyes although I could read small print signs several 100 yards away with or without glasses. The optometrist filled in his part so I made another appointment to go to the doctor.

A few days later at that appointment the doctor filled in his part of the form.

After nearly two weeks I was now ready to go back to the Department of Main Roads . After waiting about a half hour for my name to be called, the girl behind the counter looked over the form.There was concern about the optometrist part but the girl was very nice about it. I made sure my glasses were obvious in my top pocket and said I can see fine. I gave a demonstration to a sign on a distant wall. With or without glasses she was not convinced and went to see the manager. I could see that the manager was not concerned and brushed the issue off. The girl came back to the counter and proceeded to stamp everything and sign it off.

After I had the medical certificate in my hand I said “I received nothing in the post from DMR. So what would happen if I had ignored all of this and let it go for several months or even years”.

Her reply was, and wait for it “Most Do”. 

[Suze]

Unfortunately it is to the optometrist’s benefit that you wear glasses.

[johnp]

What does that mean ??  “Not liable if report in good faith”  ??

[Author]

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