Italy looks to ban older drivers

The powers that be in Italy claim that the older the driver, the less alert and more easily distracted they tend to be.

Under current legislation, Italians must renew their licences every 10 years up until their 50th birthday, then every five years up to age 70, and every three years after that.

Italian transport committee chairman, Mario Valducci, told the UK Telegraph: “We must look at setting an age limit for driving – once it is passed then a licence would be taken away.

“It is still at the proposal stage and it would be either around 80 or 85 years old but it is something that is being seriously considered.”

Italy’s road safety association spokesman Sandro Salvati said: “Cars of today have a lot of additional extras and gadgets which can be rather distracting if you are at the wheel.”

In New Zealand, drivers 75 years plus must renew their licence every two to five years, and are required to present a medical certificate each time they apply.

Read Jacqui Madelin’s columns on Older Drivers and Driving in Italy.