(Image courtesy of Microsoft Copilot)
By Dr Rahim Said
At dawn in Bukit Damansara, the roads belong to a different kind of driver. No revving engines. No tailgating. Just elderly uncles in modest sedans, creeping their way to Masjid Saidina Umar Al-Khattab for subuh prayers.
After that, they shuffle to the corner mamak or Kak Fauziah’s under the angsana tree for roti, teh tarik, or nasi lemak, and the sort of gentle conversation that would make a UN peace summit look tense.
These are the men some in authority now want to “study” for road safety.
Why?
Between 2019 and 2024, 6,733 drivers aged 61 and above died in accidents.
The police assure us the idea is not to ban them, just to “assess” their health. Of course, it will all be “balanced.”
Which is exactly what politicians say before they raise taxes or cancel subsidies.
Let’s pause here. Yes, accidents happen. But here’s a radical thought: maybe the problem isn’t Uncle Borhan driving 40 km/h in the left lane to the mosque.
Maybe — and I know this is shocking — it’s the 28-year-old in a souped-up hatchback weaving across three lanes while livestreaming on TikTok.
If you’re going to single out a group, start with the actual road terrors. The ones who think hazard lights mean “I’m going faster than everyone else.” The ones whose idea of defensive driving is defending their right to cut you off.
But no, that would be unpopular.
Instead, we’ll scrutinise the elderly — the same people who, after a lifetime of paying taxes and raising families, are now told they might be too “risky” to drive themselves to pray.
Never mind that for many, the car is their last thread of independence. Take away that key, and you don’t just ground them — you shrink their world to the size of their living room.
By all means, test eyesight. Check reflexes. Ensure that medications aren’t impairing your judgment. But let’s not pretend that age automatically equals danger, while youth automatically equals skill.
Because here’s the truth: it’s easier to police a few compliant grandfathers on their way to the mosque than to deal with the real road chaos — just like it’s easier for the government to target the obedient while sidestepping the noisy, reckless, and politically inconvenient.
(The views expressed here are entirely those of the writer)
WE