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Special medical tests for drivers above 60

by Rajmi Manatunga

The Motor Traffic Department has decided to hold special medical tests for drivers in all parts of the country who are above the age of 60.

A spokesman for the Department told the Daily News that the authorities will determine whether to renew the driving licences of these drivers after assessing the results of the medical test. "The Department has received information about a considerable number of drivers who have not undergone medical tests for about 17-18 years.

The majority of them have passed the age of 60 and the aim of this program is to find whether they are fit enough for driving," he said.

The National Transport Medical Institute which is authorised to examine the fitness of drivers recently warned that around 5,000 drivers unfit for the job were on road. Chairman of the Institute Dr. Gamini Karunanayake said that it was essential for drivers to undergo a medical test at least once every three years since a person's physical conditions could change constantly.

"It has also been revealed that drivers who received their licences before 1985 have never been subject to medical tests. This has caused serious problems in preventing accidents," he added.

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