Doctors have warned against judging elderly motorists after some people questioned why a 79-year-old driver involved in a crash at a Żabbar open-air market still had a licence.
The police are still investigating the incident that saw a car plough through the market stalls on Saturday morning, injuring seven people.
But while the cause has not yet been established, the incident led to questions over whether elderly people should still be driving.
“Is there any reason why people of this age are still allowed to renew their licence and insurance,” asked one commenter on Facebook. “It’s dangerous obviously.”
“At what age is it no longer safe to drive,” asked another. Some people called for stricter conditions when it comes to renewing the licence.
However, doctors who spoke to Times of Malta said there were already laws in place to protect other road users and warned people not to make assumptions.
People aged 70 and over must renew their licence every five years, as opposed to every 10 when they are under that age. Drivers must also present a medical certificate confirming that they are fit to drive.
“You can’t make assumptions based on one or two incidents,” said Ray Gatt, the president of Doctors for Road Safety.
“I have a patient who is 82 who is sharper than I am. Most elderly people recognise when the time has come to stop driving. No one wants to run someone over.”
He said increased traffic, speeding motorists and the presence of more powerful cars meant drivers needed to take extra care.
“Obviously, the older one gets, the more their eyesight and hearing deteriorate but the fact is that, these days, people of all ages need to be more alert than ever before,” he added.
Stefan Fenech, a GP practising in Sliema, also said that most of his elderly patients give up their licence voluntarily, sometimes after a discussion with him and their family members.
“It can be awkward but, over the past few years, I’ve only had to stop two people from driving,” he said.
Malta’s rules on age and driving are broadly in line with other countries in Europe.
However, there are stricter rules in Italy, where the validity of a licence lasts for three years for those between 70 and 80 and two years thereafter. At each renewal, a doctor’s certificate is required as proof that the driver has no serious health problems that could impair driving.
In the UK, drivers must renew their licence every 10 years up until age 70, at which age they must renew again, and every three years thereafter. However, unlike in Malta and Italy, no medical certificate is required and drivers must self-report any conditions or disabilities that may impair their ability to drive.