Last year's road toll has fuelled prejudice towards older drivers. The focus used to be on young, fast, drunk and tired drivers. Now some people want to put the brakes on older drivers, arguing they are more likely to have crashes and should, therefore, get off the road.

It is difficult to select an age at which drivers should be categorised as "older". The Transport Accident Commission defines an older driver as someone aged 75 and over. According to the TAC, 60 older people died on our roads last year. However, 45 per cent of these were either passengers or pedestrians.

'Research has repeatedly shown that testing does not make the roads or the older driver safer.'

The road toll is being used to support claims for mandatory testing and annual medical checks for older drivers. Some experts even suggest an S-plate – to warn other drivers to give them a wide berth. Last year's road toll indicates that 160 men and 82 women died on our roads. Does the disproportionate number of men being killed indicate they are worse drivers than women? Should, then, all men be regularly tested, irrespective of whether they've had an accident?

The push to screen all older drivers for the sake of the few who are at risk should be resisted. Not all older drivers are poor drivers, just as not all young drivers are hoons. Ways to help older people stay on the road and drive safely should be publicly supported. To do anything else discriminates purely on the basis of age rather than an individual's capacity.