Driving at 90

I do think there is a lot of stereotyping of older people. I am 75 this year, live in the South West and regularly drive to London round the M25. Yesterday I drove up to Leicestershire and back in one day. And next week I’m driving up to the Lake District for a touring holiday. My children know I’m ok with driving long distances and usually elect to have me drive if we’re going together. I’m sure they will tell me if the time comes when they don’t feel safe!

Anyone who is still driving when they have been told that they are no longer fit to do so, or anyone who knows someone who is doing so & hasn't contacted the DVLA - you need to watch the special 90minute documentary on channel 5 Cause of Death. Four people were murdered by drivers all of whom knew that they should not be driving.
The coroner was so concerned that he is taking action to try and stop the self-certification of older drivers and make eye-tests and notification to DVLS by opticians/medical personnel mandatory.

olderdriversforum.com/2025/05/26/channel-5-documentary-cause-of-death-licence-to-kill/

I agree, M0nica, that some people can see well in their 90s and it does depend on the individual. However, on average reaction times do slow with age, and coordination gets worse.
www.health.harvard.edu/blog/my-fall-last-fall-201603149311

In addition, arthritis can make it harder to turn the head quickly enough. My mother gave up driving because of this and because she felt her reactions had slowed.

Also, if someone does not hear as well as they did they may be slower to hear the siren of an emergency vehicle, or maybe a parent’s scream as a child runs out.

I doubt that many people in their 90s should be driving. I certainly am not planning to.

It’s pure selfishness to go on driving when you are unsafe. The great majority of very old people have slow reflexes and poor sight.
Too many will not accept that they need to move house until a crisis forces them to or they need to give up the car before they kill somebody.
I gave up driving at 60 because I knew I was not a safe driver yet the optician told me recently that legally I could drive. Being able to read the optician’s chart does not mean you can cope with heavy traffic or emergencies.

I doubt any driver would hear a parent shout if a child ran out.

Many years ago a child ran out between two cars in a narrow road and straight into the side of my sister's car as she was driving very slowly looking for a parking place. His parents came out and apologised profusely to my sister for the fright she had received. The child was about 9 and been having a row with his parents when he suddenly turned and ran out of the front door, down the path and intended to run across the road.

Not every accident that involves a child or an older person or a cyclist is the drivers fault. My car was written off 3 years ago as it was being driven blamelessly down a main road, when a young driver, coming on a minor cross road , reckoned he would get across before I reached the cross road. He didn't and DH who was driving took avoiding action but it was impossible to avoid him.

When I rang up my insurance company I said where the accident happened and which road I was on and before I could say another word, the claims advisor said 'Right so this was a 'no-fault' accident, meaning, not my fault.

I intend to drive for as long as I feel confident doing so.

The new rules introduced this year for drivers over 70 are very strict. My DH was reading through them today as he will be 80 next year.

welbeck

I haven't driven on motorways for nearly 20 years.
Simply because of lifestyle.
I no longer go anywhere.
But when I did I chose to drive at 55mph when possible.
That was advised by govt in the 1970s as being the most fuel efficient.
During the oil crisis. Seemed sensible to me and has never caused me a problem with any authorities or other drivers.

.

It may have been good to conserve fuel, but definitely was not the best way to drive on the motorways!
You probably had no problem with the authorities because, technically, you were doing no wrong, but I think you were just lucky that they had bigger fish to fry!

Kate1949

The new rules introduced this year for drivers over 70 are very strict. My DH was reading through them today as he will be 80 next year.

Have you - or anyone - got a link to these new rules for over-70's please?

I've been waiting it out for weeks after I told one of the adult "children" of awful next door neighbour that she has started dementia and had he realised? Finally - I noticed her car being driven away about a week ago and it's not reappeared since - so it may be that her son didn't listen to me....but he fears she'll get caught by the new rules and get in trouble for driving when I can see she should have given it up by now.....

All I can see is that over 70’s can’t drive larger vehicles. Still have to declare that their health and eyesight are ok but don’t have to submit any proof of that.

I had an accident two years ago at 77.My children paid for me to go out with an a driving instructor who does work for the DVLA,he declared me safe and competent.

I will do that again maybe next year.I lost all confidence after the accident,but regained it after the lesson.It was 3 hours long and expensive,but worth it.

Kate1949

The new rules introduced this year for drivers over 70 are very strict. My DH was reading through them today as he will be 80 next year.

There are a number of proposals Katie1949 not enshrined in law - yet.

Oh. My DH said from July 2025 it's law.

It is not the age but the issues such as poor eyesight. Is it cataracts that could be fixed?

I think drivers should be made to visit an optician at least every 5 years. I am amazed at people who will not pay for an eye test but will pay for a round of drinks.

ordinarygirl

I think drivers should be made to visit an optician at least every 5 years. I am amazed at people who will not pay for an eye test but will pay for a round of drinks.

Since eye tests are - basically - free = that's very much the case. As I recall - most people can get a free eyetest every other year. I myself get one every year - as I had close relatives with glaucoma.

One does have to pay for "add-ons" to that eyetest though (why??) - like that test (can't recall the name) that takes a photo of the back of your eye and you can see if there's something like cataracts lurking waiting to pounce.

Unfortunately, while GP's have an obligation to report someone not fit to drive to DVLA, opticians do not. They can, but they have to go through a whole lot of rigmerole with their employers beforehand. As Whatwouldyoudo said, you can report to the DVLA and they will contact your husband.

I have just had another eye test, a year before it was due, because I felt my sight was a bit iffy when driving. The optician said it was fine and had only changed a little, but I knew something was off so got new glasses. Even the optician said it shouldn't make any difference, but it has.

I would be more than happy to have more regular sight tests and even take a driving test. If I am not safe on the road then I shouldn't be driving. If I had to change my driving license photo when I reached 60 then why not take a driving test to see if I am safe. Good luck, I hope you can manage to travel in other ways without too much hassle.

There was a programme on Channel 4 called cause of death (it is a series that deals with different types of unexplained deaths). The episode featured 3 elderly people driving who killed 4 elderly people. The coroner said he would be reporting it to the DVLA and they have made some changes recently.

We watched Cause of Death on Channel 5 a couple of weeks ago, an episode about three elderly drivers who had been told not to drive but continued to do so and even when they had killed people lied to try and keep driving and shift the blame to the victims.It was shocking.

I cannot believe the entitlement of people.If you are advised to stop driving then stop.

Sorry, crossed posts km14

I have just celebrated my 90th birthday and could run circles round most people who use the single teack lanes around where I live, especially tourists. Most have no idea what wing mirrors are for on cars, freeze if they have to reverse a few yards to a passing bay, usually ending up in the banks, so I have to reverse uphill/downhill to accommodate them. I still drive long distances with absolutely no trouble and my reactions to sudden happenings are excellent. So onwards and upwards driving for many years yet!!

Obviously there are going to be "exceptions to the rule" - ie people who are still fully healthy etc etc and competent at things.

However, that does not negate the fact that a high number of people in the same agegroup are not going to be competent drivers any longer and yet be determined to carry on driving.

I'm only too glad that it looks as if my bad late 80's neighbour has now - finally - been "taken off the road" at last. I've been nervously watching her attempting to drive for literally years and knowing she was too selfish to amend her behaviour and give it up. I can quote two instances - to my knowledge - of damage she did when driving and one of them was to my property (which she refused pointblank to put right or apologise for). I am only too thankful that a combination of these new restrictions coming in this month and my being able to quote an incident to the most amenable of her "children" to prove she's at least well on the way to developing dementia has finally resulted - by the look of it - in her giving up that car at last. I was on the brink of reporting her to the police myself....

People do sometimes cover up for a miscreant - especially in a small town or the like and where they are a "local".

I m a great believer that there should be an upper age limit as well as a starting one
People of 80/90 are not the same as when they were younger a friends Dad was driving at 90 when he had a heart attack luckily not in his car but he could have taken a family out if he had been The rules are so slack a lady I knew has a bad stroke told by her doctor not to drive got straight back in her car It should be much much harder
I know a driving instructor very late 70 s that’s not on either there should be a retirement date like most other things

Would you want an 80 year old surgeon or pilot no of course not, for a very real reason

Very true Bluebelle.

I've literally minutes ago been having a conversation with an elderly person nearby that I know and she's commenting on wanting to get back into her car and drive. Cue for me gently leading the conversation round to the subject of the main local taxi firm and how cheap they are if one is just going A to B within our local town.

She's started to "have falls" - she is battered-looking from a recent one right now and that's not the first one she's had recently....I'm working on it (ie persuading her into taxis).

cookiemonster66

Make him watch this episode of Cause of Death - License to Kill, it was heartbreaking seeing how many elderly drivers had killed innocent people knowing their eyesight was not good enough www.channel5.com/show/cause-of-death-special-a-licence-to-kill

When someone has been a safe and competent driver, I can understand the frustration when health issues arise but not only are people like that a danger to themselves, they are a danger to other road users and personally, if I knew someone in that position, I'd have a frank and open conversation with them but I'd have no hesitation in reporting them to the authorities if they didn't act responsibly.

Jeanied “big brother”?!?!
He has been told his eyesight is too poor. Goodness gracious me…
Accident stats show a peak of accidents in early driving years then again in the over 80s. I hope his distress eases but it has nothing to do with “big brother”.