QLD Transport Requirements: Safe driving Driving 75 and over
Everyone 75 and over who holds a Queensland driver licence must carry a current Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver* at all times when driving. You must also comply with any conditions listed on the certificate—you can be fined if you don’t.
Getting your medical certificate to drive
*Download the Medical Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver form here:
Complete Part 1 of the form, and ask your doctor to complete Part 2. If you don’t have access to a printer, ask at your doctor’s surgery for a copy.
You will need to carry the medical certificate when you drive and make sure the review/expiry date is clear.
When you apply for, or renew, your driver licence you will need to show your valid medical certificate at a transport and motoring customer service centre.
Otherwise, if your licence is current, you will not need to show your medical certificate at a transport and motoring customer service centre unless:
- you develop a permanent or long-term medical condition, or
- any existing medical condition changes and is likely to adversely affect your ability to drive safely.
From 1 January 2014, medical certificates are valid for a maximum of 12 months. This means that if you are 75 or over, and want to keep driving, you must go back to your doctor every 12 months for a new certificate.
In some cases your doctor may want to undertake more regular checks, and your medical certificate may be issued for a shorter period. If your doctor issues a medical certificate for longer than 12 months, you may only use the certificate for 12 months from the issue date.
Will I be reminded to get a medical certificate?
If you are turning 75 and hold a current licence, you may receive a letter from the Department of Transport and Main Roads approximately 6 weeks before your 75thbirthday to let you know you now need a medical certificate to drive if you want to continue driving.
If you lodge your medical certificate with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, you will receive a reminder around 6 weeks before it is due to expire, to let you know you will need to get a new medical certificate.
This reminder is sent as a courtesy, so you should not rely on this as your only reminder to get a new medical certificate.
How age affects your driving
As you get older, how you process information, your vision, and your ability to move change. It’s important to know how age affects your driving.
Vision
As you age it can become more difficult to:
- change focus and see detail (such as traffic signs)
- see objects and obstacles such as pedestrians or people on bicycles
- deal with and recover from glare such as oncoming headlights or the afternoon sun
- see things in your side vision (what you see out of the corner of your eyes when looking ahead)
- adjust your vision when going from light to dark or vice versa.
Medical conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and diabetes can also affect your vision.
To maintain your vision:
- have your eyes checked regularly
- keep the prescription for your glasses up to date and make sure your glasses are suitable for driving
- modify your driving patterns (e.g. think about limiting or avoiding driving at night or twilight)
- keep your windscreen clean to reduce glare.
Movement
Changes to your body can make movement slower and more difficult. You may experience a decrease in your:
- muscle strength
- flexibility and mobility
- range of movement
- coordination.
These changes, plus common health problems like arthritis, can affect the way you drive. For example, you may find it harder to operate the gears and clutch which can result in slower reaction times.
Information processing
Your ability to process information, and react to it, tends to slow down as you age.
Driving under pressure can become stressful, giving you less time to react to changes on the road.
When planning a trip, think about whether you are comfortable:
- driving at peak hour
- merging onto a busy freeway
- changing lanes in traffic
- travelling an unfamiliar route
- dealing with a busy intersection or roundabout.
Car modifications
You can also modify your car to help compensate for age-related changes. For example installing special wing mirrors can improve your side vision if turning your head is a problem.
Helpful resources
- Handy tips for driving safely
- Driver reviver and rest area locations
- Planning and preparing for your trip
- Driving to the road conditions
- Making the transition from driving
- Your health and driving
- Licensing requirements for drivers 75 and over
- Driving condition/Restriction options
- Older driver vehicle safety
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