An 80-year-old taxi driver has been arrested after he lost control of his vehicle, killing a tourist from the Philippines, according to the Hong Kong police.
The cabbie reported feeling dizzy before the incident, the police said in a statement issued on Tuesday evening, hours after the collision occurred at the pick-up area at Nina Hotel in Tsuen Wan at 1.52pm.
The 35-year-old tourist was rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital and was certified dead at 3.12pm.
The octogenarian driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and was detained pending further investigation, the police statement said. The special traffic investigation team for the New Territories South police district has launched a probe into the incident.
Dashcam footage circulating online shows the taxi ramming into the tourist, crushing him between the vehicle and a pillar outside the hotel entrance before rebounding from the impact.
The driver was sent to Yan Chai Hospital with chest pain and injuries to the head and hands.
Elderly drivers
In January, a 65-year-old taxi driver was arrested after his vehicle collided with another car in the early hours of New Year’s Day, leaving three dead and four others injured.
Traffic incidents involving elderly taxi drivers have brought into question their suitability to drive and have prompted calls for heightened scrutiny and stricter health checks for cabbies.
According to Transport Department data, taxi drivers aged 70 years and above were responsible for 651 road accidents in 2024. In 2018, that figure was 209.
People aged 70 or above applying for a driver’s licence are currently required to provide the department with a medical examination certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner at least once every three years.
In March 2023, an 85-year-old taxi driver hit three pedestrians in Fortress Hill, leaving two in critical condition. He was charged with one count of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.
In a Tuesday Facebook post, lawmaker Adrian Ho called for a mandatory retirement age for taxi drivers, as well as strict physical examination and road reaction tests.
