Safe driving
Driving after 75
Everyone over 75 who holds a Queensland driver licence must carry a current Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver* at all times when driving. You must also comply with any conditions listed on the certificate—you can be fined if you don't.
*Download the Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver form here:
Complete Part 1 of the form, and ask your doctor to complete Part 2. If you don't have access to a printer, ask at your doctor's surgery for a copy.
Read more about holding a driver licence after you’ve turned 75.
How age affects your driving
As you get older, how you process information, your vision, and your ability to move change. It’s important to know how age affects your driving.
Vision
As you age it can become more difficult to:
- see detail, such as traffic signs, and change focus
- see objects and obstacles such as pedestrians or people on bicycles
- deal with and recover from glare such as oncoming headlights or the afternoon sun
- see things in your side vision (what you see out of the corner of your eyes when looking ahead)
- adjust your vision when going from light to dark or vice versa.
Medical conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and diabetes can also affect your vision.
To maintain your vision:
- have your eyes checked every 2 years
- keep the prescription for your glasses up to date and make sure your glasses are suitable for driving
- modify your driving patterns (e.g. think about limiting or avoiding driving at night or twilight)
- keep your windscreen clean to reduce glare.
Movement
Changes to your body can make movement slower and more difficult. You may experience a decrease in your:
- muscle strength
- flexibility and mobility
- range of movement
- coordination.
These changes, plus common health problems like arthritis, can affect the way you drive. For example, you may find it harder to operate the gears and clutch which can result in slower reaction times.
Information processing
Your ability to process information, and react to it, tends to slow down as you age.
Driving under pressure can become stressful, giving you less time to react to changes on the road.
When planning a trip, think about whether you are comfortable:
- driving at peak hour
- merging onto a busy freeway
- changing lanes in traffic
- travelling an unfamiliar route
- dealing with a busy intersection or roundabout.
Car modifications
You can also modify your car to help compensate for age-related changes. For example installing special wing mirrors can improve your side vision if turning your head is a problem.
Safe driving tips
Planning and preparing your trip is the best way to ensure your safety and the safety of other drivers. Whether you are driving a short distance or taking a driving holiday, there are a few things you should do to ensure you travel as safely as possible:
- plan ahead
- be prepared
- avoid complex and unpredictable situations such as busy intersections and rush hour
- update your knowledge of current road rules—especially for complex situations like major intersections and multi-lane roundabouts
- keep your concentration and attention while driving by avoiding too many distractions in the car (such as music, grandchildren and pets)
- avoid driving in difficult and demanding weather conditions
- check that everything is ok with your vehicle, as well as anything you are towing (e.g. a trailer, caravan or boat)
- share the driving if possible
- as soon as you feel tired, stop and have a break
- every 2 hours, stop for a 15-minute break
- don’t drive more than 10 hours in a day
- avoid any alcohol the night before your trip
- be aware of the alcohol content of any drink
- always wear a seatbelt.
