The Hong Kong government is facing mounting calls to mandate stricter health checks on elderly cabbies, but the taxi industry has pushed back and demanded that drivers be fully subsidised for annual medical screenings.
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The taxi trade, under fire after a number of crashes involving cabbies in their eighties in recent years, also warned on Thursday that authorities should be prepared for a manpower crunch as more drivers, turned off by increased regulations, might quit the industry.
Residents and lawmakers earlier raised concerns over the fitness of elderly drivers after a taxi driven by an 80-year-old cabby ploughed into a Filipino tourist on Tuesday,
The taxi mounted the pavement outside Nina Hotel in Tsuen Wan, struck the tourist head-on and left a hole in the venue’s facade. The 35-year-old victim was rushed to hospital but was later pronounced dead.
The driver was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving causing death. The Post earlier reported that the cabby said he had felt dizzy and lost control of the vehicle before the crash.
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The incident sparked renewed calls for authorities to immediately impose stricter health checks for older drivers, with some suggesting compulsory annual screening starting when drivers turn 65.
In May 2023, the government submitted recommendations to the Legislative Council proposing that commercial vehicle drivers aged 65 or above should submit fitness certification annually to authorities to renew their driving licences, but the proposal was delayed.