A Keremeos man who lost his driver’s licence feels he’s been stripped of his independence since losing it. And while RoadSafetyBC is defending its mandatory testing for the elderly, a national advocacy group is speaking out to support those like Richard Schmidt.
“Say tomorrow morning I have to go to the doctor or something [in Penticton], who wants to drop everything and take you to see the doctor? It’s hard,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt’s wife has Alzheimer’s and he is her primary caregiver.
He said since he lost his licence in February, he hasn’t been able to make regular trips from their Keremeos home to Penticton for medical appointments, shopping and leisure, like they have for decades.
“My family isn’t here and to get somebody or a taxi or something to go to Penticton, I can’t afford that,” Schmidt said.
Medical exams are required for drivers 80 years or older in B.C. and every two years a doctor assessment and medical report must be submitted to RoadSafetyBC.
Schmidt said other than his diabetes, he’s in good health.
But the results of his first road test re-examination indicate multiple infractions.
The advocacy group Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) sympathizes with Schmidt.
“On average, people will live for 10 years after they lose their driver’s licence and it’s often a recipe for social isolation and in fact, earlier death,” CARP’s vice president of advocacy Wanda Morris said.
ICBC’s most recent statistics show that crash volumes for senior drivers are among the lowest of all age groups.
“This is due to a combination of factors including the years of experience seniors have behind the wheel and the fact that seniors tend to drive less than younger drivers,” ICBC spokesperson Sam Corea said.
But when you compare fatal crashes per distance driven, motorists 85 and older have the highest fatal crash rate of any group.
“The crash risk for senior drivers is complicated. Not one statistic can tell the story on its own,” Corea said.
“While seniors may drive less, they’re more at risk when they do.”
CARP is advocating for better transit options, especially for those like Schmidt, who live in rural communities.
Meantime, Schmidt said he feels he’s left with no other option but to drive illegally.
“How have I been coping? The best way I know how. I’m still driving.”