Age limit for driving instructors raised to 75

SINGAPORE — From next year, driving instructors may continue teaching until they turn 75, up from the current limit of 70, the police announced on Wednesday (Dec 28). The condition is that they must pass their annual enhanced medical examination.

The two-part examination involves a straight-leg-raise test to assess if there are spinal medical conditions that make them unfit to operate a vehicle, and a test on cognitive ability.

There is no minimum age requirement for driving instructors, but all instructors must have held a driving licence for at least three years. Each instructor must also be certified by a medical practitioner that he or she is physically and mentally fit. 

Commenting on the announcement through a Facebook post, Mr Desmond Lee, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, said that this would allow qualified and experienced instructors who teach privately or in driving schools to continue teaching and “imparting good and safe driving skills” to learner drivers.

The police reviewed the limit based on the feedback that the Ministry of Home Affairs had received from driving instructors over the years, Mr Lee said. 

Member of Parliament Fatimah Lateef, for one, welcomed the new move. In September, she suggested in Parliament that there be a “case-by-case review” for driving instructors who are approaching the age of 70 to continue teaching if they remain fit. 

She said: “I have met many from the Singapore Driving Instructors’ Association in my ward (Geylang Serai), and this suggestion came from dialogues with them. They, especially those hitting 70, are glad, too.”

Driving instructors interviewed by TODAY welcomed the new age limit as well.

A private instructor, who wanted to be known only as Mr Quek, said: “The Government is encouraging people to work as long as they are healthy, of course we are happy to have this option.” 

The 66-year-old added that the raised age limit would mostly benefit private driving instructors, who tend to be older, since the Government had stopped issuing private instructor licences in the 1980s.

Mr Pang Ah Fat, also 66, said: “My colleagues and I are thankful that the age limit was reviewed. Most of us have been in this line for decades and we still want to remain active.”