Elderly drivers could be submitted for regular medical testing under new proposals put forward by Dubai’s transport authority to improve safety on the emirate’s roads.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said it has made a number of suggestions to the Ministry of Interior covering driving on the highways of Dubai.
One of them would see drivers aged over 60 put through mandatory fitness tests every three years and every two years for motorists aged above 70.
The proposals also include the use of real-life video clips recorded by surveillance cameras in Dubai as a key component of theoretical lectures for learner drivers.
The RTA also suggests increasing the number of mandatory lectures for applicants seeking driver permits of motorcycles to eight instead of two, and nine lectures for applicants of driver licences for heavy vehicles.
It also proposes a revision of RTA-approved training manuals to add a provision about how to deal with vehicle fires and using smart apps for reporting traffic accidents.
The RTA has submitted the proposals via the Standardized Training Modules for Learning Driving in Dubai Team comprising specialists from Dubai Police and Dubai Traffic Prosecution.
The team is tasked with reviewing and revising training modules of various driving licence categories. It also runs awareness campaigns in support of the implementation of those modules in Dubai.
