Taxi driver, 79, arrested over knocking down elderly woman in North Point

Hong Kong Police have arrested a 79-year-old cabby on suspicion of knocking down an elderly woman with his vehicle in North Point in the early hours of Sunday.The force said the taxi driver was driving along Java Road when he allegedly struck the 74-year-old woman as she was crossing the street shortly before 3am.The victim, who was found in a semi-conscious state, was rushed to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment.Police officers subsequently arrested the cabby on suspicion of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. He is currently being held for questioning.Authorities previously faced renewed calls for stricter health checks on older cabbies after a Filipino tourist was killed last year by a taxi driven by an 80-year-old. The incident was among a series of serious accidents involving elderly drivers.The government subsequently suggested lowering the age threshold for mandatory medical certification for commercial vehicle drivers from 70 to 65 under legislative proposals to be submitted in the first quarter of this year.