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Compensation lawyer flags ‘unfair demonizing’ of elderly drivers
A Gold Coast compensation lawyer has condemned revived discussion on whether the elderly should be legally forced off the road as part of a safety measure to other motorists.
Emma Musgrave
Parker Simmonds Solicitors & Lawyers litigation director Bruce Simmonds said a recent fatal accident which occurred at a Queensland shopping centre and involved a driver in their 80s has again prompted calls to force elderly drivers off the road.
“All drivers should have a practical driving test when renewing their license. Age as such is not a disability but poor driving can be down to any age group and factors like arrogance,” Mr Simmonds said.
“To those who say 80 year olds can’t be trusted on the roads, I say 20 year olds driving with drugs like ice in their system are just as dangerous, maybe worse due to their attitudes.”
However, at the same time, Mr Simmonds added that his experience in acting as a solicitor in numerous motor vehicle accidents has shown that no single age group can be singled out as a cause of all the accidents.
“There are elderly pensioners with decades of safe driving experience behind them and youngsters who drive like they’re in a Mad Max movie. Age is no
guarantee of safe driving,” he said.
“We don’t need to categorise young or old motorists. We need to focus on having safe motorists, people who can venture onto the M1 and not treat it like a race track; people who know how to merge and properly use roundabouts and so on.
“... I agree police need to remove people off the roads if they don’t have the cognitive ability to be there, but this also applies across all age groups.
Ultimately, family and friends need to be involved to stop any at-risk driver from endangering others’ lives on the road."
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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