‘We lose skills as we age’: Does Australia need special plates for older drivers?

Elderly drivers were more likely to die after being involved in a road accident than any other age group in 2023, according to new data that has prompted calls to implement road safety measures to protect older motorists.

Queensland tyre specialist Tyre Geek analysed data of 1266 road deaths – gathered from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) – and found drivers aged 80–89 as having the “highest likelihood of dying in road accidents” at 9.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

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Senior motorists aged 90–99 came in second with 7.7 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by drivers aged 20–29 at 7.4 deaths per 100,000.

"The data itself doesn't say it's elderly people that cause these accidents, it records the age of fatalities," a Tyre Geek spokesperson told Drive.

"Elderly people are dying more frequently in road accidents than other cohorts [relative to] the data."

According to the same BITRE data, elderly people were under-represented in overall road fatalities – with the highest rate of deaths recorded in the 40–64 age group – but their likelihood of dying when involved in a road incident was higher than for other groups.

In response to Tyre Geek’s analysis, Perth radio show 6PR's Perth Live with Oliver Peterson raised the possibility of introducing special senior plates dubbed ‘S-plates’ on Australian roads, similar to the pre-existing L and P plates for novice drivers.

"We’ve got L-plates for learners, P-plates for provisionals, could it [S-plates] add an extra layer and courtesy for other motorists?" Mr Peterson asked his listeners.

In response, former Transport Matters Party MP Rod Barton said the idea was "a little bit discriminatory".

"We all have different standards, there’ll be some drivers that would have the necessary skills," Mr Barton told Mr Peterson.

"But there’s no doubt, and the data backs this up, that people lose their skills as we age. When doing parliamentary work, we’ve been looking at doing more retesting as we get older. And I’ll use myself as an example. I got my licence when I was 18 and I’m now 65, and I’ve never been checked or tested since then."

Mr Barton called instead for retesting every 10 years for drivers until the age of 65, followed by mandatory driver testing every five years for drivers aged 65 and three-year testing for drivers aged 80 and above.

It's not the first time the idea has been raised. A viral TikTok video from April 2023 saw Australian woman Alison Butijer propose 'E-plates' for elderly drivers, after encountering a senior citizen "taking a really long time at a roundabout".

“I believe there should be an E-plate for the elderly, wouldn’t it be great if there was an E-plate that just made other drivers aware that they’re a little bit older, they might be a bit more cautious on the road, a bit slower which isn't a bad thing, and people like me can just calm the f*** down," she said.

Currently, New South Wales is the only state with mandatory on-road testing every two years for motorists aged 85 and above to gain an unrestricted licence (retesting may be required even earlier based on medical advice).

NSW, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Queensland and Western Australia motorists aged over 75 require medical fitness approval from doctors and GPs to get behind the wheel.

Additionally, the Queensland Government is considering introducing an Australian-first compulsory online road rules test for motorists of all ages who are renewing their driver's licences in a bid to reduce the state's rising road toll.

Meanwhile, South Australia asks its senior drivers aged 75 and over to submit an annual self-assessment of their driving capabilities and they may also be required to undertake practical testing if their doctor feels it is necessary.

What do you think? Should older drivers be subject to different safety regulations? Weigh in below.