100-year-old Italian woman has driving licence renewed

An Italian woman has had her driving licence renewed at the age of 100, becoming at least the country’s third centenarian in recent years deemed fit to get behind the wheel.

Candida Uderzo was given a new licence after passing an eye test at a driving school in the northern province of Vicenza.

The sprightly centenarian said she liked to be autonomous and to not put pressure on her son to drive her around.

“This renewal makes me happy and will make me feel a little bit freer too,” Uderzo told Corriere della Sera. “I’m lucky, I’m 100 years old, and being so healthy is a surprise to me too. I never take tablets, just the odd sleeping pill once in a while.”

She said her eyesight is so good she can read the newspaper without needing glasses.

Italy’s centenarian population is among the highest in Europe and the number of people reaching the milestone age continues to rise: according to data released in early May by Istat, the national statistics agency, Italy is home to 20,456 centenarians, up from 14,456 in 2019.

But it is unclear how many are still driving. Licences for the over-80s are renewed every two years, with drivers having to provide a medical certificate to ensure they are physically and mentally fit.

A man in Sicily who turned 100 last year celebrated the renewal of his licence by buying a new car, telling the local press at the time that he had never had an accident in his life. A man in the Campania region who also celebrated his 100th birthday last year said he had no intention of renouncing his car.

Uderzo said her only regret in life was losing her husband when she was relatively young. “But I decided that staying alive meant enjoying it as much as possible,” she told Corriere. “I started going for long walks with friends, it helped me to deal with the grief. After retiring I joined a walking group and haven’t missed an outing since. Every Sunday at 6am I am ready to go.” – Guardian