RTEAN Wants 70-Yr-Old Drivers To Retire

The chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), last Thursday advised  commercial drivers who have clocked 70 years to retire from driving, in order to reduce traffic fatalities.

The FCT Chairman, RTEAN, Mr Alabi Olorunju, made the call in an interview with our correspodnent  in Abuja, recently.

Mr Olorunji said, “Older drivers have a higher risk of traffic fatalities for two reasons, first, drivers aged 70 and older are involved in significantly more motor vehicle crashes than middle-aged drivers.

According to  him, “Second, older drivers are considerably more fragile than their younger counterparts and are, therefore, advised not to embark on long journeys.

“A commercial driver who has attained 70 should not be encouraged to drive on our highways,’’ Olorunju said.

He said that RTEAN, did  not encourage aged-people to continue driving due to old age associated illnesses, such as  stroke, arthritis, sight problems, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.

“An old commercial driver may think that he is fit to embark on a long journey but not considering the lives of people that he will be putting at risk,’’ Olorunju said.

It will be recalls that the Federal Road Safety Commission pegs the minimum age for driving at 26 while the maximum age is 70.