The Victorian Government is considering tighter controls on senior drivers, as public scrutiny intensifies following a fatal crash involving a 91-year-old motorist earlier this month.

Roads Minister Melissa Horne confirmed a formal review into driving licence requirements for older Victorians is now underway, in a bid to assess whether current rules adequately balance public safety and individual mobility. “Every lever that we can pull to save people’s lives is so important,” she told 7News.

The review follows a tragic incident in Melbourne’s east, where an elderly driver lost control of their vehicle and crashed into a playground, injuring a toddler and killing two grandparents. The incident reignited calls for age-based assessments, with Acting Premier Ben Carroll vowing to work alongside Horne to explore possible reforms.

Victoria currently does not impose mandatory age-specific driving tests. Drivers over 75 must renew their licences every three years, but further medical or practical testing is only triggered by self-reporting or referrals. By contrast, several states – including NSW, Queensland, Tasmania, and the ACT – require annual health checks for drivers aged 75 and older, with NSW mandating driving tests from age 85.

Road safety advocates have long called for national consistency. Russell White from the Australian Road Safety Foundation said the Melbourne crash should prompt serious reform. “Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy to bring attention to long-standing issues,” he told Yahoo News.

However, not all are on board with blanket changes. Health organisations and senior advocacy groups stress that any new approach should focus on individual capability rather than age alone.

Yet the issue is growing more urgent. Government figures reveal a 75 per cent increase in drivers over 85 in Victoria over the past decade, now approaching 70,000.

Minister Horne said any changes will involve wide consultation: “This conversation must include the whole community. It’s about safety, but it’s also about fairness.”