Commercial Drivers Urge Halt To Health Check Plans

Commercial drivers are urging the government to reconsider a plan to lower the age for mandatory health checks, saying it's causing panic in the sector.

Currently, commercial vehicle drivers aged 70 or above have to undergo a medical examination every one to three years. Following a spate of accidents involving older drivers, the Transport Department is planning to lower the age for such checks to 65.

But the Motor Transport Workers General Union on Friday warned that the move could worsen a labour shortage in the industry, as it petitioned the government to abandon the planned change.

At a Legco panel meeting, lawmakers also urged officials to reconsider the plan.

"65 is considered a healthy age... Can we require those aged between 65 and 70 to do check-ups every two years? For those aged 70 above, we can require them to do check-ups annually," DAB lawmaker Chan Hok-fung said.

Transport sector legislator Frankie Yick said many drivers are worried they'll end up losing their jobs.

"There are quite a lot of elderly drivers in Hong Kong. When we talk about the minibus drivers, over half of them are over the age of 65," he said.

"If they have to go for the test every year, they're worried that they may not be able to pass. Those drivers at those ages in Hong Kong are not working for a daily living. They've already retired, so if you tighten up all these test requirements, they may not want to do it anymore."

Transport Commissioner Rosanna Law said drivers whose health is deemed unsatisfactory could always reapply for their licence if their condition improves.

"It's not the case that if you fail one medical examination, you will never be issued with a driving licence again," she said.

"There's an ageing population, so there is also an increase in the number of aged drivers. That's why we want them to get into a good habit of having regular medical examinations, so they could detect any issues early and seek treatment early."