Government plans compulsory eye tests for over 70's

NotSpaghetti definitely not my suggestion. I have always been a sight/cognition supporter because they would be easy and cheap to apply.

Apologies then M0nica I thought you had discussed the idea of a video/computer based driving perception and reaction test.
I am obviously mistaken.
That is the way I'd like to see it go, eventually.

But I'm happy to start with eyesight as that is a known and well studied risk.

Site should read sight pfft

I have been driving since the age of 21 and am now 76. I have a regular eye test every two years and have glasses for driving only. I drive around 10k miles per year in the UK and France.

I fully support eye etsts being compulsory but in fairness the age needs to be lowered from 70+ to 60. Many older persons lose some site well before the age of 70. I am a strong believer of cognition tests and also testing reaction times which with a number of older people do decline.

NotSpaghetti I fully support eye tests and cognition tests. I do not see a need for any further tests.

My mum of 87 is still driving and to be honest we don’t know how to stop her. Her eyesight is good she’s had both cataracts done it’s her reflexes and distance perception. If she had a driving test and deemed okay then fine but wish it was compulsory at the age of 70 onwards and not just a tick of a box on the DVLA form.

In theory people who use a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair should be able to read a car number plate from the same distance as a car driver - even if it is only capable of 4 mph on the pavement There is no compulsory eye test before you can use one, but "You must check that you can still do this regularly" www.gov.uk/mobility-scooters-and-powered-wheelchairs-rules/eyesight-requirements They risk being prosecuted if they are involved in an accident and found to fail a test.

Many older people can no longer read numberplates at that distance but can see human beings perfectly well at a lot less than 40 feet. They don't bump into people at walking pace, since other people walking on the pavement are not walking any faster than 4 mph either.

Public transport can be useful but is not universally so, and getting to and from the nearest bus stop impossible. A scooter or powered wheelchair is their only wheeled alternative to a car for carrying shopping home or visiting friends, so this is restricts their independence.

It is obviously dangerous to everyone if they can't see well enough to notice other people within range and be careful no to run into them, but AIBU for thinking this distance should be lower?

I don't think I'm really suggesting tougher tests for driving skills for older people over younger people, M0nica and as you say, some younger drivers also can have poor reaction times but I think skills improve initially post test - and they will have had to pass that driving test and have eyesight checked within the last (say) 15 years.

Those of us who are past our "peak" are likely to deteriorate in some way over our lifetime and if we had a test at say 20 we may be 60 years on by now. The tests have to start somewhere before they can be expanded.

If we can start with this new eye test requirement we can gradually lower the age and then can introduce other tests.

I think it was you who said earlier, or maybe on another thread as we have discussed it before, that it was not going to be possible to bring things in all at once. I agree.
But we do have to start somewhere.

Gosh Monica that hasn't happened to me yet, I'll "BOLO"

The problem NotSpaghetti you are suggesting tougher tests for driving skills for older people over younger people. Some young and younger drivers have poor reaction times and alck necessary driving skills. Should ALL drivers have a retest every 10 years.

Having said that, I would add a basic cognition test for over 70 drivers. poor reaction times and failing cognition usually go hand in hand.

I have noticed these days, whenever DH is admitted to hospital or goes to A&E, at some point a doctor or paramedic, whips their beeper out of their pocket and does a quick cognition questionnaire, just covering giving him a one line address to remember then asking day, date, time who is Prime Minster, Monarch and then asking him to repeat the address. He, like President Trump, always aces this test, so that we do not know what happens if you don't, but if, a failure of a quick simple test like this, means a referral for a more extensive test, those whose cognition or response rate is slowing down would soon be picked up.

Yes, can agree with that.

The eye test seems to me to be a minimum safety measure that in due course I'd like to see increased to include reaction time and other necessary driving skills.

I think this is just the start and that more will follow. I hope so. I think they will gradually be expanding the eye-testing regime as a minimum.

I'm certain that at the moment my reactions are OK but I would want to know if they were deteriorating. Planning to give up the car would become more of a focus than it presently is if I had a baseline and saw things getting worse.
Having some sort of measure has got to be useful.

We are looking to move over the next few years to somewhere with easier access to amenities - we have already moved from a no-bus village to the very edge of a town but the busses don't go where we would most like them to go so that involves more forethought... It would be so nice to have a great and comprehensive public transport system.
I think we can probably all agree with that one!

You should nt drive if you have been drinking or taking drugs. What is the difference between that and not driving when you cannot see where you are going?

nanna8

I’ve seen a great number of young drivers who drive very badly and sometimes clip people. Why not test them as well ? Ageism , that’s the reason.

No, the young drivers eyesight has already been tested when they took their test, their accident rate is because or lack of experience or stupidity.

nanna8

Talk about a police state. Horrible. Surely the people who issue spectacles would under normal circumstances tell someone they shouldn’t be driving? Not just older people, either. Many young ones have issues with their eyes. Mass CTV, monitoring social media. What a nasty place under this mob. Get rid of them.

What’s horrible about trying to make roads safer for everyone?
It’s very simple. People with poor eyesight should not be driving. Many people who know they shouldn’t be driving just carry on.

If the bad driving of everyone was reported, they could be made to retest, but proving the report isn't easy without evidence, and many people feel that it is being petty and telling tales ("clyping" in Scots)

I’ve seen a great number of young drivers who drive very badly and sometimes clip people. Why not test them as well ? Ageism , that’s the reason.

nanna8

Talk about a police state. Horrible. Surely the people who issue spectacles would under normal circumstances tell someone they shouldn’t be driving? Not just older people, either. Many young ones have issues with their eyes. Mass CTV, monitoring social media. What a nasty place under this mob. Get rid of them.

They are not being banned from driving because they are over a certain age, nanna8, just required to have eyesight of a reasonable level. Have you read the comments describing the driving (in)ability that some posters have encountered?

My car was written off (it was very old) when a young driver misjudged a crossroads, where he did not have priority and hit it.

If it hadn't been for the speed with which DH(over 70) responded to the developing situation we would not, all three, have walked uninjured from the collision.

My GS was hit by an elderly driver, he had obviously not been driving at night for sometime. He was driving slowly in the middle of the road, GS pulled over and was stationary, the elderly driver drove straight into him, low speed so no injury.

There is is problem with eyesight deteriorating and not admitting it and tests are long overdue.

Talk about a police state. Horrible. Surely the people who issue spectacles would under normal circumstances tell someone they shouldn’t be driving? Not just older people, either. Many young ones have issues with their eyes. Mass CTV, monitoring social media. What a nasty place under this mob. Get rid of them.

Grantanow

I live in a place without good public transport. I can't afford to move house and at my age it woukd be very disruptive. I intend to continue driving as long as possible. I've never had an accident and I'm probably a lot safer than an over-confident young man or woman.

I’m sorry, but you’re probably not.

I hope they're all wearing special glasses

FranP

TG3465

There was a TV programme on a while ago in Channel 5's Cause of Death series, called Licence to Kill. It featured elderly drivers who had all been told by their doctors that their eyesight was not good enough to drive, but lied on the DVLA forms and carried on driving. All went on to kill pedestrians/other drivers. It was a shocking programme.

Perhaps testers need to report failures to DVLA?

But the programme didn't review all the drivers with less than adequate eyesight who had NOT gone in to kill other road users. A clear misuse of statistics.

Caravan drivers are better than they used to be and choose better cars for towing, a few dont understand how to load a caravan or maintain it properly.
However in Europe caravans and trailers have to have annual MOTs, whatever the shortcomings of a few drivers MOTs for caravans is not justified.