It’s been a grim past few days when it comes to traffic accidents.

On Monday, 15-year-old Sanjeeve Sharma died after the car he was riding in slammed into an SUV in Surrey, killing Sanjeeve instantly.

Another passenger, aged 18, survived with minor injuries, as did the driver – a newly licensed 16-year-old.

On Wednesday in New Westminster, a woman was critically injured when an SUV rammed into her while she was sitting on a bench in Queen’s Park.  Her companion was also struck, and suffered minor injuries. The woman remains in hospital with several bone fractures and significant head trauma.

The driver in this case was an 82-year-old woman who police say may have lost control of her vehicle. A full test of the SUV is being performed to rule out any mechanical cause.

In the case of the Surrey fatality, it appears the teen driver was in defiance of provincial “L” or learner licence conditions.

Under B.C. law, a 16-year-old driver who passes a driving test and earns an “L” permit is only allowed to drive with an adult supervisor sitting beside them who is at least 25 years old and has a valid driver’s licence.

That is just one of several restrictions imposed on beginner drivers by the provincial graduated licensing program.

Under the program, a 16-year-old new driver must display an “L” sticker on their car, cannot drink any alcohol before getting behind the wheel, cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m., and can only carry two passengers, one of them an adult supervisor. 

The next stage of licensing, the novice or “N” permit, requires 24 months of prohibition-free driving before a Class 5 licence can be granted.

New drivers in B.C. typically take 36 months to obtain their full driver’s licence.

The strict regulations are aimed at reducing crashes among beginner drivers who are just getting used to the rigours of the road.

Many youth have cried foul over the rules,  but ICBC statistics are clear: Not only are new drivers more prone to crashes, one in four of their accidents result in an injury or fatality.

While new drivers are monitored carefully their first few years, the New Westminster incident begs the question: Should the province better monitor older drivers?

For many seniors, driving is a key component of maintaining their independence, and no one wants to take that away.

However, the fact is, many elderly motorists simply shouldn’t be behind the wheel.

Limbs plagued by chronic pain or brains addled by prescription medicine, confusion or even dementia cannot react quickly enough to the fast-changing situations on Metro Vancouver streets.

Yet a re-test for driving skills is only required if a driver’s licence has expired more than three years ago. Whether it be by age or on a doctor’s recommendation, elderly drivers need to be regularly assessed as they get older.

Perhaps a graduated “de-licensing” system could work, with certain restrictions implemented, such as not driving at night, driving at slower speeds, or driving only with another adult supervisor in the car.

A study using ICBC crash statistics published this month by Oxford University Press found that the risk of causing a crash was 87 per cent lower for restricted drivers aged 66 and older compared with their unrestricted counterparts.

After working hard all their lives, fighting in wars and raising children, it’s understandable that many senior citizens wouldn’t take kindly to any limits placed on their freedom.

But we all share the roads – and parks – and measures that could increase safety on our increasingly dangerous streets should be welcomed.

Paula Carlson is editor of the Surrey Leader

pcarlson@surreyleader.com