Who Says I'm Too Old to Drive?

Seniors above 65 feel driving allows them to be independent, stay active and provide a service to their families

- Judith Tan

Freedom. That is the common thread among seniors who are still driving their cars despite being above the age of 65.

Not being able to drive, they say, is as good as having their wings clipped.

Retired sales executive John Hio, 69, says: "As long as I'm still healthy and alert, I will still drive every day. If the Government says to stop, then I stop. No choice. Until then, I will keep driving."

Mr Hio, who has been behind the wheel for 45 years and currently drives a Honda Fit, says that apart from the independence it gives him, driving allows him to "provide a service to the family".

"I take my spouse to the market and for medical check-ups. I also run errands, buy dinner and do grocery shopping. It is so much more convenient to buy groceries in bulk when you have a car.

"I also take Truffles for her vet visits and grooming appointments, and to the park," he adds.

Truffles is the Hio family's pet poodle.

Like Mr Hio, retired civil servant Goh Shih Yong, 76, needs his horseless carriage to take his wife to and from her medical appointments and to buy food.

He says he also needs his car for "me-time".

"I drive to meet friends for lunch or dinner, and it also gives me the option to pick them up or drop them home. That gives me freedom away from my responsibilities," he adds.

So, when his Toyota Camry turned 10 years old in 2023, Mr Goh found himself at a crossroads, trying to decide whether to take public transport or get a new car.

"Wanting my lifestyle to remain the status quo, I finally decided to get a car in November 2023. And a year later, I knew it was the right decision. Otherwise, I would have remained at home most of the time and I believe dementia would have set in," reckons Mr Goh, who now drives a Toyota Corolla.

Like Mr Goh and Mr Hio, Mr Liew, 75, is not putting away his driving licence any time soon.