The Department of Land Transport is preparing to review the driving license test criteria for individuals aged 55 and over and lifetime license holders to assess their physical fitness for safety. This remains only a preliminary idea.
Deputy Minister of Transport Siripong Angkasuwanikorn Siripong Angkasuwanikorn disclosed that the Department of Land Transport (DLT) is considering revising licensing procedures for elderly drivers aged 55 and older, requiring them to undergo evaluations of their driving abilities and competence to ensure they can continue driving safely. Currently, there are already physical fitness tests for new driving license applicants, but the DLT will carefully consider appropriate details for these revisions.
This concept is not intended to increase burdens on the public but to maximize safety for all road users. As people age, their physical abilities, perception, mental state, and decision-making may change or decline, so it is necessary to establish appropriate mechanisms to assess driving readiness. This includes considering how to review the fitness of lifetime license holders. At present, this remains a preliminary idea, pending discussions with relevant agencies, with no conclusions on when or how it will be implemented.
Siripong he added that setting age criteria and methods for assessing drivers' abilities must be thoroughly discussed, drawing on examples from other countries such as Japan, which has measures to evaluate elderly drivers and support public transport use in certain cases. Thailand can study these experiences to develop an approach suitable for its context, including alternatives for those no longer able to drive safely.
“The reason for reviewing elderly and lifetime license holders' abilities is that recently, many elderly drivers have been seen driving recklessly on the roads, including incidents of elderly drivers entering motorcycle U-turn lanes, causing unsafe conditions and accident risks. Road safety is a societal concern because losses affect not only the driver but also passengers and other road users. With Thailand's declining birth rate, preserving human resources—the country's most valuable asset—is increasingly important. We must strive to reduce fatalities as much as possible,” Siripong said.
Siripong stated that on 19-20 Nov 2026, the Department of Land Transport (DLT), together with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Department of Disease Control, the Department of Local Administration, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and related partners, will host the 17th Thailand Road Safety Seminar under the theme “Unlocking Safe Cities: Unlocking Safe Roads for Safe Cities” at the IMPACT Forum, Muang Thong Thani. The event will gather policy and field-level perspectives to develop concrete measures to enhance road safety.
Thailand has continuously worked to reduce road accident losses. Although there has been improvement over the past decade and death tolls have decreased compared to previous years, about 15,000 people still die annually from road accidents—a high figure indicating the need for urgent, serious action to reduce accidents and fatalities. The ultimate goal is to bring road deaths to zero, not just reduce them by 5-10% and consider that a success, as road safety requires ongoing commitment.
Siripong explained that a key factor in accidents and fatalities is the lack of preventive measures during driving, such as motorcyclists not wearing helmets, which significantly increases death risks, as well as a lack of safety awareness. Effective law enforcement, traffic discipline, and fostering public safety consciousness are essential since accidents impact not only drivers but also others on the road.
Regarding legal improvements and enforcement measures, proposals from the seminar will be reviewed collectively. This may include developing incentives to motivate enforcement officers and reviewing how existing laws can be applied more effectively. New challenges arising from societal changes will also be considered; previously, focus was on children, students, youth, and motorcycle or school transport users, but now attention must also include risks from elderly drivers, who have been involved in accidents or risky driving behaviors periodically.
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