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.

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 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.