Proposal for more stringent tests, including hearing and eyesight, comes after 80-year-old taxi driver hit and killed a Filipino tourist
A government proposal to tighten physical fitness requirements for commercial vehicle drivers in Hong Kong will be introduced to the legislature no later than the first quarter of next year, according to the city’s transport minister.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said on Saturday that physical fitness checks could include tests for hearing and screening for conditions such as dementia, as well as stricter eye examinations.
Chan’s remarks followed renewed calls for stricter health checks for older drivers after a taxi, driven by an 80-year-old, hit and killed a Filipino tourist on Tuesday.
The government submitted recommendations to the Legislative Council in May 2023, proposing that commercial vehicle drivers aged 65 or above should submit a fitness certificate annually to renew their driving licences, but the proposal was delayed.
