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Adelaide University / Centre For Automotive Safety Research / Publications / List / Details Publication Details| Title | Evaluation of changes to mandatory fitness to drive reporting requirements | | Authors | Tuckwell GA, Baldock MRJ, Mackenzie JRR | | Year | 2026 | | Type | Report | | Abstract | This study investigated the impact of changes to the mandatory fitness to drive reporting requirements for South Australian drivers aged 70 years and over. Historically, drivers in South Australia were required to undertake an annual medical assessment of fitness to driver from age 70. This requirement was dropped in 2014 and soon replaced by a self-assessment form for drivers aged 75 or more. Trends in licensing, population and crash data for the years 1997 to 2023 were examined for those aged 18-59, 60-69 and 70-100, The removal of mandatory age-based fitness to drive assessments for older drivers in South Australia was found not to have resulted in any road safety disbenefits. The rate of licence suspensions on medical grounds for older drivers has actually increased since the policy change. Furthermore, there have been declines in casualty crash involvement rates for older drivers and no evidence of increases in older pedestrian casualties. These outcomes can be taken as supportive of changes to the medical fitness to drive policies and processes in South Australia that were made in 2014-15. | | Report Number | CASR268 | | Publisher | Centre for Automotive Safety Research | | Publisher City | Adelaide | | Sponsor | This research was funded via a deed with the South Australian Government | | ISBN | 978-1-925971-75-0 | | ISSN | 1449-2237 | | Page Count | 45 |
| Reference | | Tuckwell GA, Baldock MRJ, Mackenzie JRR (2026). Evaluation of changes to mandatory fitness to drive reporting requirements (CASR268). Adelaide: Centre for Automotive Safety Research. |
| Files Available for Download | | CASR268.pdf | Published report |
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