Opinion | Stricter health checks for Hong Kong taxi drivers should just be a start

A proposal in Hong Kong to require commercial vehicle drivers aged 65 and above to pass a fitness test before their driving licences can be renewed was first raised in the Legislative Council back in May 2023. Little was heard about it since – until now.

After last week’s horrific car crash involving an octogenarian taxi driver, the transport secretary finally announced a follow-up: the proposal would be introduced in Legco by the first quarter of next year. Why did it take a high-profile accident to get things moving?

The government favours high-level planning, and technology and efficiency are high on its agenda. It unveiled a blueprint on the city’s future transport infrastructure development in December 2023, and is working to finalise a transport strategy blueprint this year that incorporates various smart mobility initiatives.

But what the government has neglected in all this talk about technology is the human factor. Technology can help make transport more efficient and even safer, but safety can still be put at risk when the human behind the wheel feels dizzy and loses control, as happened in the case of the tragic accident last week.

The government is feeling the heat from lawmakers and the community to impose stricter rules for cab drivers. Under current regulations, only those aged 70 and older are required to submit fitness certification, and their driving licences can be renewed for up to three years. The government wants to lower the age threshold to 65 and shorten the licence period to a year instead of three.

The taxi industry was quick to object. The chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi Owners’ Association, Wong Po-keung, who is 80 years old and himself a taxi driver, said he preferred the status quo. He believed older drivers were being targeted unfairly.

Wong Po-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi Owners’ Association, poses for a photo in March 2023. Photo: May Tse

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Opinion | Stricter health checks for Hong Kong taxi drivers should just be a start

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