Ageism on the road
A report from Victoria’s Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and COTA finds extensive discrimination toward older drivers.
Age discrimination is alive and well in the driver licencing system according to a new report from the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in partnership with the Council on the Ageing (COTA)
The report, entitled Rights on the road: the experiences of older Victorian Drivers, launched on Wednesday found that older drivers face discrimination and unfair treatment with profound implications to their quality of life.
Acting Commissioner Karen Toohey said that while Victoria’s driver licensing system is working well for many, it is not working well all the time and for everyone. Moreover, when a bad experience occurs, the impacts are profound.
Ms Toohey said that one of the key themes that persisted in the research was around the stigma still attached to ageing.
“Older drivers are often portrayed as a risk or a danger, when in fact statistics show this is not the case. Yet in Victoria each year many older people are required to provide evidence that they are safe on the roads because they have been reported as a risk on the roads by family members, health professionals or just people on the street.
“For some people this is a genuine issue, but many who spoke to us had done nothing to be considered a risk – other than be seen as being old. These attitudes are evidence that ageism and age discrimination remain significant issues in our community,” Ms Toohey said.
Other key issues revealed in the report include being required to undergo medical testing or review in situations where it didn’t seem warranted, only being allowed to renew their license for three year periods at a time, being treated unfairly by members of the public, being dealt with unfairly by officers at VicRoads and being treated unfairly by Victoria Police.
Ms Toohey said that people should be able to stay on the road for as long as they are safe to do so without being subjected to discrimination and unnecessary intervention. The recommendations from the Commission’s research are aimed at getting this balance right.
“This research not only uncovers the persistent challenges facing older drivers. It also provides practical solutions and a framework for the Commission to work with the relevant authorities to help ensure that older drivers are not discriminated against on the basis of their age,” Ms Toohey said.
Key recommendations include working with the people and organisations that have responsibilities for making decisions about licensing so their decisions are fair, accurate and evidence based, and educating and raising awareness among older drivers about their rights and responsibilities with regard to driver licensing.
David Craig, pictured above, CEO of COTA Victoria (Council on the Ageing) said that he was not surprised that there is discrimination against older drivers.
“Age discrimination is endemic in our community and it shows up across the community in work places, access to suitable housing and in attitudes towards older people. We need a public information campaign to help change these entrenched and harmful attitudes,” David Craig said.
Download a copy of the report, Rights on the road: the experiences of older Victorian Drivers.
Federal Age Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Ryan, told delegates at the Australian Association of Gerontology national conference in Brisbane last week that funding had been made available for a public communication campaign targeting ageism in the Australian community. The campaign will commence in 2013.
