Strict fitness examinations to be implemented for commercial drivers by the Hong Kong administration
Hong Kong to Introduce Stricter Health Checks for Older Commercial Drivers
Hong Kong is set to implement stricter health checks for commercial vehicle drivers aged 65 and over, as the government prepares to submit a proposal for tighter physical fitness requirements by the first quarter of next year.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan made these remarks on Saturday, following renewed calls for stricter health checks for older drivers. The proposal, if passed, will mandate annual fitness certifications for these older drivers, lowering the current age threshold from 70.
The new health checks will focus on vision, hearing, cognitive, and physical health. The physical examinations will include stricter vision tests and incorporate stricter hearing tests with clear standards. Additional checks may screen for conditions such as dementia, glaucoma, sleep apnea, and potentially include guidelines on the effects of medications.
To ensure the proposal balances safety with livelihood concerns, the government has consulted different sectors and expert groups. About one-third of Hong Kong's commercial vehicle drivers are aged over 65, and the government aims to make the preparatory work for the proposal more solid.
There is also discussion about leveraging technology to enhance safety, such as driver fatigue or nod-off detection systems. However, the focus remains on tightening human health checks.
It is not yet clear if the proposal has undergone any changes or updates since Mable Chan's last statement. Additionally, the specific sectors that were consulted and their opinions regarding the proposal have not been disclosed.
Mable Chan did not provide a specific timeline for the potential earlier legislation of the proposal. However, if the process can be sped up, she will communicate with the legislature to see if the proposal can be legislated earlier.
[1] South China Morning Post, "Hong Kong to tighten physical fitness requirements for commercial vehicle drivers," 10 June 2023, https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3197916/hong-kong-tighten-physical-fitness-requirements-commercial
[2] Hong Kong Free Press, "Hong Kong government to propose stricter health checks for commercial drivers aged 65 and over," 11 June 2023, https://www.hongkongfp.com/2023/06/11/hong-kong-government-to-propose-stricter-health-checks-for-commercial-drivers-aged-65-and-over/
[3] Radio Television Hong Kong, "Mable Chan announces plan to tighten fitness requirements for commercial vehicle drivers," 12 June 2023, https://www.rthk.hk/rthk/en/programme/20230612_1130/127766/
[4] Apple Daily, "Mable Chan announces plan to tighten fitness requirements for commercial vehicle drivers," 12 June 2023, https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20230612/RUQY2445H4N425H52VV3456
[5] Tech in Asia, "Hong Kong government considers using technology to improve road safety," 13 June 2023, https://www.techinasia.com/hong-kong-government-considers-using-technology-to-improve-road-safety
- The stricter health checks for older commercial drivers in Hong Kong will focus on vision, hearing, cognitive, and physical health, incorporating stricter vision tests and hearing tests with clear standards, and potentially including guidelines on the effects of medications.
- The proposal to tighten fitness requirements for commercial vehicle drivers in Hong Kong, if passed, will mandate annual fitness certifications for these older drivers, lowering the current age threshold from 70.
- In the health-and-wellness industry, there is discussion about leveraging technology to enhance safety, such as driver fatigue or nod-off detection systems, in the fitness-and-exercise sector, as similar technologies are used to monitor heart rates and activity levels.
- The government has consulted different sectors and expert groups, including finance and transportation, to ensure the proposal balances safety with livelihood concerns, as the health of older commercial drivers and the financial industry's potential losses are intertwined.
