Driving test for people over 70

As I mentioned in my OP (cycling) my friend had RP tunnel syndrome it is hereditary, she used to have a D.V.L.A. field test at an opticians dictated by the dvla. she had one every year and passed but last Nov she took one and had 4 attempts. They give her licence back for 12 months only for her to have a letter on the mat about 6 weeks ago..telling her to surrender her licence, she is independant, rides a motorcycle/scooter/tows a caravan/drives etc.

There is no appeal thats it licence gone.She could have not! originally gone to the opticians which started the ball rolling...I think these people that wont! have regular eye tests are a danger on the roads, because they know that they will be stopped from driving or have limited licences if they have eye sight problems.I think as well as all this talk of having driving tests for over 70s they should! make eye sight tests Compulsory!

For the past few months I have been accompanying the other half in the car, because he does not like driving on his own. We have all been worried about his eyesight, but he insists it is o.k. for driving. Well, today is the day I tell him that I will no longer go out with, not because he drives badly, I just feel he cannot see as well as he thinks he can (if that makes sense). I am going to insist that he has another appointment with the optician - the trouble is he was told by the eye specialist at a recent eye inspection appointment that he (the specialist) did not want to see him for another six months and his eyes were fine. I think this was in connection with the macular, but of course the o.h. puts his slant on it. So I am going to say that unless he has confirmation from the optician that he is within the law for
driving, then we must sell the car. He will be devastated, the Parkinsons is not helping, that makes him depressed, so I think we are in for a long haul. We will get a couple of buggies which will get us to the local shops. I can walk but since my hip operation this is a bit difficult, getting easier. Long post, lots to think about.

Hearing is important too. Mine isn't 100% now and I often don't hear some mad so and so suddenly coming up from behind and overtaking.
My main problem is being distracted by something I'm going past, instead of keeping my eyes on the road ahead. Don't know to get around that one.

After an experience I've had this week, I think I'll know if/when to give up! I've been trying out contact lenses instead of glasses, pretty unsuccessfully. I've had three types so far and none of them have given me clear enough vision that I would feel safe driving.

With the varifocals I tried i could only read a car number plate at about five yards! I've one more set to try and if they don't work, back to specs it will be. I'm not risking it on the roads for the sake of vanity/convenience.

Oh and thanks for the very full reply. Think I understand it all a bit better now?

Yes, denial is what worries me too. When will I know that I'm not safe any more? I mean everyone drives badly sometimes. However will not worry just yet. Drove my son and his partner home the other day and they didn't seem to be gripping the seats!!!!!!!

With me Jay Anna the very central vision is a bit blurred but it's really only noticeable when trying to read road signs with place names on ...but like most people we don't need to see every single letter in a word to be able, most of the time, to make sense of most words. It's when it's individual random letters that it's most noticeable as our brains are really clever at filling in any gaps that our eyes physically don't see. That's why no one notices the blind spot everyone has.

As for any birds, animals, people, bikes etc I can see them.... and brake lights lol....it's just fine detail that's the issue.

As to when I would consider it unsafe.... well mostly I am guided by the optician that's known my eyes and their history for 25 years and tests my vision, including the peripheral vision, every year.

I am fastidious about checking for any deterioration in my vision even though it's been steady for many years .... cut off point for me without his intervention would probably be something like not being able to read a speed limit sign at twenty metres or not being able to make out our individual cats at that distance. I would have been back to him proto long before that though !!!.

It is really hard for anyone to give up something that gives us such independence.... we had to take FIL car keys off him when he was on opiates for terminal cancer . I hope I don't get into denial in my increasing years. ?

Judypark wrote:
"The driving tests today are so stringent I doubt if anyone of us would sail through."
New tests were trialed in France last year and about ?70% of current license holders of all ages failed. Mostly on the highway code part.

There shouldn't be a question mark after interested. Don't know how that got there?

madcatlady, I'm interested? Can you see when cars are braking in front of you or if there is a bike in the centre of your side of the road. How much central vision is lost? And when will you know it's too much? Or is that things just get a bit fuzzy but you know there's something there?

I don't think I'd like to take a driving test but that doesn't mean to say I shouldn't. I've got an eye test next month and I will certainly ask if I'm OK driving. I don't like night driving at all now and like other posters I find the motorways fast - though I don't lag behind. I also find that car drivers in town zip in and out of traffic and roar up to traffic lights and roundabouts only to find themselves stuck behind other cars - which makes me grin. The drivers when I've come alongside are generally young and male!!! And that isn't meant as a sexist comment - I'm reporting what I see

I agree Madcat. I found the Speed Awareness course I went on was most instructive as it updated us on so many aspects of driving and car capabilities. To renew licences every 10 years would be good but certainly every 20 and a basic eye sight test and reaction test could easily be incorporated.

I have no problem reading a number plate but wearing varifocals my peripheral vision isn't as good so I need to turn my head more. I think a compulsory awareness course would just make drivers think more about whether they would be driving rather than just ticking the boxes and kidding themselves all is well.

I have macula degeneration to Printmiss and self reported more than 20 years ago. I had to see an independent consultant ophthalmologist and he said that it's the peripheral vision that is the vital aspect of adequate vision not the central vision. People with tunnel vision can often see a number plate at 20 metres but would never be safe to drive. I can't read a number plate at 20 metres but my peripheral vision is good so continue to drive.

I think that rather than concentrating on age it should be a condition of renewing a driving licence every ten years that every driver goes on the awareness courses, with or without a reaction test and medical assessment.

When OH was diagnosed with PD he was advised , not ordered , to have a test of his abilities . Since he had never had a test or a lesson in his life he went for a few lessons first then the test , passed with flying colours , it was more his reactions and eyesight . I thought he was a dreadful driver and when we finally wrestled the car from him it took the mechanic weeks to get out every bump scrape and dent before we could sell it. I said at the time , it wasn't just him getting killed but who he took with him was the main worry

My husband had to have an eye test by an optician chosen by the DVLA. Can't remember how long ago that was, probably 15 years, and I think it was when he was first diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. Since then he has advised DVLA of changes, but no compulsory test has been asked for, and no optician has advised him not to drive, although I doubt very much if he has asked the question.

70 is when you have to renew your driving licence at present, and then every three years I think. And you have to tick the box which says you can read a car number plate at 20 metres. No check, just tick the box. I also believe that a doctor can advise that you stop driving if he thinks you shouldn't, but not make you.

I think that a test of some sort at licence renewal would be a good idea. Just an optician's report of good eyesight, a reaction test, and a few other age related tests. That shouldn't cost too much surely?

I would be in favour of taking another driving test at 70. I am 67 and am really aware of how my reactions are so much slower now. Driving at 70 mph on the motorway and everyone seems to be going so much faster and I am always worrying that a lorry will suddenly pull out on me. I never learnt to parallel park and avoid it at all costs.

I think it's a good idea to be fair, as long as the government foots the bill If you can drive etc. why would you worry.

Not funny at all.

deja vu

It is funny how this always comes up when ever someone over retirement age is involved in a tragedy like this.

Had the person driving been a teenage boy or young man or woman in their twenties, as most of the drivers in accidents like this are, although the cause would be drink, drugs or showing off, it is unlikely to have been of anything other than local news.

This is not to defend the driver whose behaviour in my opinion deserved a far longer sentence than he got, nor diminish the tragedy for the family but if we argue that those over 70 are retested, what about making drivers under 25, who are responsible for far more deaths, resit the test every year.

I don't think the whole test needs to be undertaken at 70+...but something that addresses key aspects of ageing ....opticians "eyesight fitness for driving certificate"; maybe an online test on key aspects; But at 80+ I think there should actually be a short driving test to check key aspects ....

I agree that the issue is poor health. I think the problem is that not everyone is honest on their over 70 renewal of driving license application, no one wants to lose their driving license and it is so easy to fill the form out dishonestly, or to withhold information. However, as in the case of the man who killed the 3 year old this is totally selfish, and criminal! He had been told not to drive!! End result he took the life of a little child. We should all keep this in mind and report any changes in our medical problems that might impact on our driving!

I agree, health issues are more important than the age limitation. Health professionals should report any concerns to the DVLA. Think your idea was a good one notanan.

Apologies rosesarered I do agree there have been some strange postings on GN which are obviously wind ups and it is sad to see people wasting their time answering. The person on the radio I referred to was the solicitor of the family whose child was killed by the man who was told to stop driving. But I do think a simple health, eye and driver awareness test could be the way forward as we all like to think we are safe drivers.