A controversial new report recommends Australian drivers aged 50 and over take driving lessons to reduce accidents on the roads.
The latest study by UNSW in Sydney found the measure will help improve older drivers’ driving performance.
A recent survey by insurer AAMI found that drivers over the age of 65 were most likely to be involved in a car accident, accounting for 26 percent of all accidents.
The survey also revealed that men were at greater risk: 52 percent were involved in road accidents.
UNSW Scientia professor Kaarin Antsey said drivers in their 50s should take additional driving lessons to ensure they update their skills.
“People don’t naturally ask if I need to upgrade my driving skills,” Professor Antsey said.
‘It could be something like, when you turn 50 you are invited to have an extra driving lesson just to check your driving.
“At the moment, you would only get it if you had a problem with your driving.”
The latest study by UNSW in Sydney has found that older drivers should take extra driving lessons to improve their skills when getting behind the wheel (file image)
Professor Antsey said there has been an increase in accidents among people aged over 80.
“Until recently, the way this has been handled is through regulation, with delicensing, which is basically an all-or-nothing approach,” he said.
Professor Antsey said some of the errors detected during the trial were not all due to old age.
“Many of these are simply bad habits that drivers have carried with them from their youth,” he said.
“We see a lot of people not checking their blind spots, not making proper right turns, taking shortcuts or not maintaining their lane position.”
Professor Antsey has led several studies into ways to improve the safety of older drivers; the most recent research is called the Better Drive Study.
The controlled trial consisted of a random sample of drivers over 65 years of age, who were distributed into three groups, and the study was carried out over a period of one year.
The aim of the study was to detect whether the driving skills of older drivers can be improved despite their physical and cognitive challenges.
One group participated in a traffic rules refresher course, while the second group received video feedback on their driving.
A recent survey by insurer AAMI found that drivers over 65 were most likely to be involved in a car accident, accounting for 26 percent of all accidents (stock)
The latter group received video feedback and also received specific driving lessons to help them correct their mistakes.
The research results have not yet been analyzed; However, some of the findings indicate that the study helped participants improve their driving skills.
“In our pilot study… we found that of the people who received our intervention which included driving lessons and video feedback, we moved a significant proportion of unsafe drivers to safe drivers and reduced their driving errors,” Professor Antsey said. .
The results will be published in 2025.
Australia recorded the highest number of road deaths in five and a half years in 2023, with 1,253 motorists killed last year.