Old drivers cause 600 car crashes with 150 deaths in Romania ten months into 2013

Drivers over 70 were involved in at least 600 car crashes this year, resulting in more than 150 deaths and 470 injuries. Data from the Romanian Police shows that in the first 10 months of 2013 at least 600 crashes involved at least one driver older than 70. Quoted by news agency Mediafax, the data reveals the number of accidents involving drivers above 70 was lower during this period than during the same period of 2012, when 650 such accidents were recorded. Police data highlights that around 31,500 Romanian drivers are over 80, but this could also include people who have and not had their license cancelled, which relatives are supposed to do by law. Around 290,000 drivers are over 70, the data shows. The Romanian legislation does not mention a maximum age for holding a driving license, even if specialists estimate that around a third of those above 65 have significant hearing and visual impairments. A recent change in law requires drivers with an expired driving license to go through a standard medical check before getting their new license, and authorities proposed the medical check to be done every time the drivers renews their license, even if it did not yet expire. There are around 6.5 million drivers in Romania, a country with a population of about 20 million. The biggest chunk of drivers are 31 to 50, some 3 million people. editor@romania-insider.com