Driving Assessment

I have been assessed and found to be competent. Of course under examination conditions everyone is more alert.

It should not be about some blanket age ban, but about a competency basis. No matter what age any driver is.

I believe that EVERY driver should be required to pass an eyesight test at the very least at regular intervals and passing or failing will inform whether a licence should be renewed.

The comment about older drivers' reaction times being slower is true but their experience and years of reading the road I understand is superior to younger drivers who have not built up their experience.

I am approaching 70, an active member of the IAM (motorcycle branch), passing my advanced rider test about 5 years ago, and a frequent rider and driver.

I need a car to get to the many interests and commitments I have, eg a Lacemakers' group on the opposite side of the city, an Accordionists group who meet in another town (and the equipment for these 2 activities at least is not transportable by bus).

While I might have a bus pass, the city I live in is well known for its poor public transport system so using the bus for me isn't viable.

I had some concerns at one point about my physical fitness to use my motorcycle but daily gym attendance has addressed that - and I need a car to get to that! So no car would mean no gym, decreasing fitness and health and all the issues which would come with that.

So I'm afraid the 'everyone should surrender their license at 70/80/90' argument doesn't hold water for me.

Btw rather than just banning all 80 year olds surely mandatory testing after age 70 would be much better, even annually?

dogsmother

It really is a fact that the vast majority of older people (70+) have much slower reaction times than someone in their 30’s.

Whilst I do agree that some 30 year olds may be far more irresponsible drivers than older drivers, biologically their cognitive abilities in terms of reaction times are far more likely to be faster than that of many 90 year olds.

pen50

I will bang on till the cows come home about this but I strongly believe that nobody over the age of 80 should be permitted to drive and everyone over 70 should soul search deeply and regularly about whether they should continue driving. I myself have completely stopped driving at night, and my nearest and dearest have been instructed to tell me as soon as my day time driving becomes unsafe. We ourselves cannot perceive when our reaction times are inadequate, but the fact is that they do deteriorate with age and we are deluding ourselves to think otherwise.

Don't live in a public transport desert and use your bus pass!

I’m afraid I do agree.

I’m only just coming up to 68 and I have to concentrate.

pen50

I will bang on till the cows come home about this but I strongly believe that nobody over the age of 80 should be permitted to drive and everyone over 70 should soul search deeply and regularly about whether they should continue driving. I myself have completely stopped driving at night, and my nearest and dearest have been instructed to tell me as soon as my day time driving becomes unsafe. We ourselves cannot perceive when our reaction times are inadequate, but the fact is that they do deteriorate with age and we are deluding ourselves to think otherwise.

Don't live in a public transport desert and use your bus pass!

And I will bang on that age is just a number!
People in their nineties can be far more capable at driving than some in their twenties or thirties and that’s just a plain fact.
Of course not all but please don’t be so discriminatory.

I have been stopped driving by the DVLA due to Glaucoma. I appealed and took another eye test but still didn't meet the required standards.

I’m lucky in that I’m 2 minutes away from a rail station, busses for every direction and a very helpful cab driver who does private work , so is a little cheaper than booking through an office.

I thought my eyesight was fine and would have continued but I’m obviously missing areas of sight which would greatly impair my vision.

It’s inconvenient but I’m managing fine, especially with kind friends and family, helping out for tricky to get to places.

Bus pass is such a bonus.

I’m now 78 enjoy driving on any type of road recently had cataract surgery and my night vision is much improved but I still avoid night driving on unlit roads. I’m confidant my driving is safe and family would soon comment if it wasn’t. Of course I would stop if I ever feel differently.

At 77 my eyes are good and I enjoy driving, long distances are no problem in UK or abroad, my brother has lost most of his eyesight and had to give up at 72, so Im the lucky one.

The time will come when I decide to give up, that will be when I stop enjoying it, in 8 or 10 yrs time. I stopped flying gliders at 73 after 40 yrs my medicals were still good but I was questioning my own ability, my confidence had gone, so time to give up

I'm going on 75 and feel I am more than competent to drive. Indeed I enjoy driving. I am happy with 200-mile journeys on motorways doing just under 70 and fairly recently did 250 miles. Like many, I have started to struggle on unlit country roads at night unless they are fairly familiar. We live in a fairly rural area so such journeys are sometimes necessary as public transport is pathetic (plus our house is a mile from the village up a steep hill, so walking is a bit of a struggle for me and my long-standing scoliosis).

My eyetests are always up to date and I've never been given any reason to be concerned about my sight. Same with DH.

My DH (nearly 80) on the other hand has had mobility problems progressing slowly for a couple of years and abt 6 months ago had a fall that has somewhat reduced his confidence in many ways, so he isn't currently driving although he still has his driving licence. He is (was, until his fall) a very competent driver and assuming that his confidence returns I feel he would remain competent. We have discussed between us a possible issue with poor movement in his left foot and will be investigating pedal adjustments that can be made to the clutch pedal or perhaps swap to an automatic car.

My main worry is that if he gives up his licence and I need to be taken to hospital (wait times for an ambulance locally are horrendous) I will simply have to wait for the ambulance. Last time we needed one the wait was six hours and the hospital is nearly an hour away.

It is also the case that there are almost no local taxis around.

All that said neither of us would ever drive if we felt we weren't competent so we'll cross that bridge when we have to.

I think moving house to an area with better transport is imperative though.

I'm still working too! But I've made sensible lifestyle decisions and can get to work via public transport and my own two feet.

I’m 73 tomorrow and have just renewed my driving licence. I’ve also just had an eye test all fine with up to date glasses prescription. I seldom drive at night and only very locally if I have to.

I feel very competent in the day and do local driving and every few months a 3 hour journey on the motorway back to where I used to live. Motorway driving also fine (M25/M4).

I live with my daughters so will definitely stop when I’m older rather than risk going on. At the moment they are driving me as Im recovering from an operation and can’t drive until the surgeon has cleared me, appt for that not until early August and of course would not drive until after the appt and will be very careful starting up again.

I think people should make their own decision re this but family should make sure they stop if they haven’t already, if they are risky

Nanny27 on time for work or killing someone?

Well I’m 69 and having driving lessons and hope to pass my test shortly. Really don’t think you can put an age on this it how you feel about your reactions and awareness, don’t think anyone should drive if they don’t feel in control and comfortable. Safety has to be a priority but I think that relates to drivers of any age.

I booked one for my husband who had had a stroke , I was concerned but he thought he was fine, Gp said it was his decision as his problems were very subtle. I did it for a couple of reasons, one for my peace of mind and also if he had an accident and had been cleared he had done the responsible thing. They passed him, only just, but also said they wished more people would do it. Save a lot of deaths.

Considering many 70 year olds still work how does Pen50 expect them to get there? If Andy Burnham's plans for the state pension age go ahead most people will be working at 70.

My mum stopped driving in her 80s when she found her reactions were slower than before and she couldn’t turn her neck as fast. I thought that was very responsible and I intend to act similarly. So I think you are very sensible to have an assessment, OP.

The fact that there is a lack of public transport does not justify someone continuing to drive when they are at risk of hurting or killing someone.

It’s really important to be realistic about this.

Mazgg

I'm 84 and until recently felt very confident in my driving. I've become more absent minded over the last few weeks (not particularly when driving) and I worry that I may not be safe.
Has anyone had an older driver's voluntary assessment?

DH did last year. Not because he had any worries /problems
but because he is 79, his medical history requires a regular vision test for the DLA, and the IAMS were running a local promotion, free test for older drivers, no strings.

It took an hour in his own car and the IAM examiner said his driving was excellent.

Georgesgran

It’s good to see you’ve taken your own advice pen50 but please don’t tar us with the same brush. Stats show young men are still (by far) more accident prone.

At 77 I still feel perfectly fine to drive - I regularly do a trip to a dd involving 3 motorways, including the invariably busy M25.

However I no longer drive on unfamiliar and/or unlit/ unmarked roads at night, since I know my night vision is not what it was.

Public transport in our area is extremely good, as well as free! - I usually use it locally rather than driving, so I wouldn’t hesitate to give up my car if I no longer felt safe or confident to do so.

Thank you Shewhomust... for the link.

My mum has just decided at 90 to give up her car when the insurance is due in September.....she only drives locally and I'm sure she will miss it at first but I will be glad....she has buses that run every 15 mins ...but its not the same as having a car I get that

I passed the advanced driving test 16 years ago. I had a mature driver's assessment 2 years ago and intend to book another one this year. I am 82 years of age. The people who volunteer for IAM Smart are very helpful and help you to feel more confident about your driving etc. I consider it a responsible thing to do as a mature/elderly driver.

For personal reasons I think an assessment is a good idea.plus an eye test . My son’s best friend has recently lost his father in a rta . His car was hit by an 85yo woman who was on the wrong side of the road . His mother was in a medical coma for several weeks and has life changing injuries and will need full time care . They were both in their 60s .
The 85yo was also in hospital. This happened on a local road during the day and in good conditions .
I would hate anyone to go through what my son’s friend has gone through and it’s still ongoing .

callum12

My husband is a driving instructor still going strong at 76. So please don’t judge all over 70s as his reactions are still very good

Yes.

In the UK, there is no legal maximum age limit to be a driving instructor. Instructors continue to teach well into their 70s and 80s, and individuals like the late Laura Thomas famously taught until she was in her mid-90s. Instructors simply must pass medical checks and a standard assessment to remain on the official register.

I have had two near misses recently. Having dashcam footage I reported both to the police as one vehicle had NO tax or MOT and the other had NO MOT! Both young people driving each car and both almost caused serious accidents. The second took place through and area of road works and the driver narrowly missed one of the workers despite him being dressed head to foot in bright orange overalls!
I firmly believe the standard of driving is appalling now yet whenever things go wrong seemingly it’s the older generation at fault!