An 84-year-old Alberta man has won the right to a full hearing over claims that mandatory medical exams for senior drivers are discriminatory, raising questions about age-based licensing rules in the province.Blacklock's Reporter says Robert Watts filed a complaint under the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal after being required to pay $160 for medical tests at ages 75 and 80, and every two years thereafter, despite having no medical conditions that would impair his driving. Calgary adjudicator Leigh Sherry ruled the complaint has “a reasonable prospect of success” and ordered it to proceed to a hearing, though no date has yet been set.“Alberta uses age as a threshold to trigger additional requirements for renewal of a valid driver’s license,” Sherry wrote. She noted commercial drivers over 45 also face periodic medical exams every three years.Alberta Transportation defended the rules, arguing that “driving is not a right but a privilege” and that medical exams are a “reasonable and justifiable public safety measure” balancing individual rights with public safety. Watts’ complaint contends the policy discriminates on the basis of age.The issue is significant given Canada has an estimated 5.9 million drivers over 65. Federal collision statistics show seniors have the highest fatality rate of any age group and are involved in more injury accidents than drivers under 24. Research also indicates that while younger drivers have a higher frequency of crashes overall, seniors have the worst accident record when adjusted for distance traveled.Mandatory licensing of Canadian motorists dates back to 1913 in Ontario, when applicants required a written “endorsement of character” from their local chief of police. The current case could set an important precedent on the limits of age-based licensing requirements in Alberta.
