after the tragedy, the question arises around the driving license for the elderly

An 83-year-old woman mowed down a group of children who were riding bicycles in downtown La Rochelle on Wednesday. Seven of the children were injured, three of them seriously. A tragedy which brings back to the table the question of the ability to drive of certain elderly people. Several voices are calling for a compulsory medical check-up to continue driving from a certain age.

It’s an accident that puts the subject back at the heart of the news. On Wednesday, an 83-year-old woman mowed down a group of children who were riding bicycles in the city center of La Rochelle, leaving seven children injured, including three seriously. A tragedy which raises the idea of ​​establishing a compulsory medical check-up to continue driving from a certain age. Sophie, 81, is very supportive.

“I find it legitimate to have a medical examination”

“I think I drive well, but I think that, from the age of 70, we still have a visual deficit for example. So, I think it is legitimate to have a medical examination,” explains the octogenarian. Last February, the European Parliament rejected a bill putting an end to the lifetime driving license in France. There are therefore no restrictions on driving, except in cases of pathology, such as deterioration of vision or hearing. In this case, the general practitioner is required to refer his patient to a practitioner specializing in driving skills.

Doctor Philippe Lauwick is one of them, and for him, these meetings are essential. “We must first test the visual abilities, the ability to process information. And there we are on the cognitive side. When the cognitive disorders are not compatible with driving a car, we issue a certificate of unfitness. And the person no longer has a valid driving license,” says the specialist.

On the other hand, he considers the generalization of these meetings to all elderly people to be of little use. The age group most involved in road accidents remains 18-24 year olds.