SIM Extension Problems Become Polemic Because Police Are Not Consistent About Regulations

Illustration - Elderly people are still allowed to drive as long as their physical and mental health is in good condition. (Freepic)

Recently, a video showing reckless cars on the toll road has gone viral on social media. The car was seen moving routes and even grazed the barriers and toll road fences.

The video was first uploaded on Sunday (3/9). The person driving the sedan initially seemed to be struggling when he had to tap the transaction card at the toll gate. After that, the driver seemed to have difficulty controlling his car so that it was quite dangerous for him and other people.

The car was successfully stopped by another driver and from there it was discovered that the one driving it was the elderly, with the elderly passenger also sitting in the back seat.

If this father and mother have children, hopefully the video will reach their children. So that they know that their parents can no longer travel alone, let alone drive a car, "wrote the description in the upload.

This is an example why the elderly or people who are not in a fit condition are dangerous forcing themselves to drive on the road even though they have an active driver's license. In April 2022, an accident occurred that killed one motorcyclist and two seriously injured people when he was hit by an elderly car driven in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.

Actually, there is no regulation that states how long a person is allowed to drive. However, a person is considered not to be allowed to drive from a mental and physical perspective. Thus, it is possible to be young but mentally and physically deemed unfit for driving.

"For example, he is 40 years old, but sorry for the stroke, or people who have epilepsy cannot drive," said Jusri Pulubuhu, Founder of Jakarta Defensive Driving Consulting.

Because a person's health can change over time, SIM in Indonesia must still be extended periodically every five years. Previously, the validity period of SIM which only five years had drawn protests from residents. Arifin Purwanto, who works as an advocate, filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding Article 85 of Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation.

The article stipulates that the validity period of the SIM is only five years and can be extended. Arifin assessed that the validity period of the five-year SIM does not have a legal basis and the benchmark is not clear. He demanded that the validity period of the SIM be for life.

The Director of Registration and Identification (Dirregident) of Korlantas Polri, Brigadier General Yusri Yunus, once explained that the reason for the SIM must be extended periodically every five years. This is done to monitor the physical and mental health of each driver periodically.

One of the main requirements in issuing SIM is whether physically or physically and mentally or psychologically. Physical requirements for prospective drivers are required to meet the standards of sight, hearing, and other members of the movement. Meanwhile, the psychological requirement is to find out the cognitive, psychomotoric, to the personality of the prospective driver.

"Humans cannot be said to be in full health and psychology forever. So we need to test their health again and also how mentally," said Yusri.

If the SIM is applied for life, it will be difficult for the Police to monitor changes, both physically and psychologically, each driver. In fact, these changes could endanger themselves and other motorists on the highway.

The reason for the renewal of the SIM must be carried out regularly every five years, also revealed the Coaching Director of Safety Defense Consultant Indonesia (SDCI) Sony Susmana. He also said the ideal driving age limit is 17 to 60 years, because above that the driving ability will decrease.

However, the driving decision also requires self-awareness, because only yourself knows his weaknesses.

"The problem is, driving is still underestimated and easy for some people so that the cause of the accident doesn't go down," he concluded.

As time increases, the ability of the elderly will decrease, such as slow motion, reflex, concentration and limitations of sight. Due to this limited ability, it is better for the elderly to reduce or even avoid driving activities. If forced, it can endanger yourself and other road users.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the accident rate increased significantly after the age of 75. Still reported by the same source, driving actually helpsland stay active and independent. However, the risk of injury or death in accidents increases with age.

In 2020, about 7,500 elderly people in the United States died in traffic accidents, and nearly 200,000 people were treated in emergency units due to injuries due to accidents. This means that every day, 20 elderly people die and nearly 540 people are injured in accidents.