driving re-test for the over 66yrs?????

I don't necessarily think the testing of 66yr olds is a bad thing (I'm 65 soon) if you are able and competent then there is nothing to worry about . If judged unfit then really you shouldn't be driving for your own safety and the safety of others. I have personal experience of a few 'voluntary ambulance drivers' who should absolutely not of been driving around with patients on board. The majority did a marvelous service but some just couldn't see that they were actually less able than some of their patients.

Maybe others won't agree with me ? good subject to discuss though.

Sorry ladybird9 but I do feel that those of at least 75+ should have some sort of driving test. I live in a seaside town with a large elderly population and have seen some hair-raising driving. I knew someone who'd driven all over the world and considered my area up there with Mumbai and Rome. We get people driving their mobility scooters on the main road and even the dual carriageway. Parking seems to present a problem as many park so far from the kerb that you'd have a decent hike to get to the pavement.
When I was working at our local Medical Centre an elderly lady, with a BMW and high heels, slammed into the side of the building as she got her accelerator mixed up with her brake. Many retired people here are quite well off and drive powerful cars, which they have problems controlling. Men especially have a problem giving up their car - we had an old man who threatened to kill his GP because he suggested that perhaps 'now was the time' - old man was 90 years old!!

I do know of one hair raising example in her 80s. But 66 is a ridiculous cut off. About 80 I would say there should be an eye test and a doctor should have to sign they are fit, not just self certifying as is currently the case. Then every 5 years.

I would like to see at least a test to confirm that response times and eyesight are up to scratch when you are over a certain age and 66 sounds about right to me, and it should be repeated every 3/5yrs, here in our Town there are so many elderly drivers who are just a menace on the Road they have no idea of the changes in The Highway Code and new road signs.
I'm agreeing with tanith re some volunteer drivers,we have some locally who you just wouldn't allow out on their own never mind an ambulance full of people.

I think 70 would be good for a retest as one has to renew one's driving licence then too.

Things do change, for instance, 'undertaking' seems much more acceptable, and I would like to understand the different attitudes of lots of younger drivers.

Of course, I'd pass anyway!!

Ladybird I think 66 is a bit young but if a driver is unfit through eyesight or whatever then they should not be driving. Whatever that means for their social life. You are either safe or not.

I think driver eye tests reported to the DVLA should be compulsory every ten years what ever the age. Perhaps a re test or medical at 70.

I agree that the more mature driver is generally safer. They eventually lose the boy race mentality and gain experience at judging the road and hazards etc. I have to say you do do see some very dithery driving by some more elderly people.
Reaction times etc do slow down as we get older whatever we would like to think.

I think it might be a good idea for everybody to be re-tested at, say, 15 year intervals. Why confine it to the over 60's?

That would clear the roads!

I find several senior drivers over cautious and slow. I followed a car on a 40 mph road recently he was doing 25mph. He was also very hesitant at a junction. I remember my instructor 25 + yrs ago telling me this can cause accidents.
I support retesting.

For medical reasons I have my eyesight tested at the local DVLA (I have to read a number plate for the examiner) every 3 years. If my eyesight deteriorates between that time it will be picked up at the eye clinic or by my optician.

I know my limitations and I no longer drive in dusk or when it is dark. I just find driving so convenient for a trip to my GP, the vet or the local supermarket.

Locally I appear to own the only car with working indicators!

The examiners could not cope if they had our age group to examine as well.

I agree with re-testing after a certain age. Either people are 'fit to drive' or they are not and if they're not fit to drive I'd rather they weren't on the roads causing danger to themselves and other motorists. Like dorsetp I live in a town with a lot of elderly people (including one or two relatives of my own) and almost daily I see the evidence that many of them are incompetent drivers. I plan to hang up my driving gloves once (if ever) I get my bus pass.

I drive less because I try to keep my DH out and about rather than watching TV or getting glum lying in bed. I say can you run me to X,Y or Z as the parking will be awful. He grumbles but if left at home and the weather is bad he gets very glum.
I do intend to have a refresher course fairly soon(67) and always regret i never took an advanced driver course.

There are a lot of elderly drivers where I live.
I think they realise their reactions are not as good as they were in the past so they choose less busy times to drive etc.
I was speaking to a lady who is 87 a few days ago and her sight is well within the road traffic acts and she drives about 8,000 miles a year.
She does say that she is not so confident about driving at night so she gets a bus or a taxi.
Also if she is going on holiday say 250 miles away she arranges to have an overnight stop half way.
I don't see any reason why she should be stopped from driving.

Frank

Driving tests can be hit and miss. My GS failed his first test and then passed his second which took place a few weeks later after only one extra lesson.

I predict chaos with many people over the age of 66 who are safe drivers failing on some technicality or other.

I would be very happy to take my test again if it were as easy as the first one. I spent most of it in a traffic jam just chatting to the examiner! At the end he let me pick my own road signs to describe! Always thought I had no right to be on the road!

I wonder how it would be organised? How much would it cost? The cost might deter some people from taking it and that could mean they end up isolated.

I do agree that everyone who drives should be competent to do so and would like to suggest that people could be selected at random to be retested at any age, just as they are for jury service.

I would never pass a driving test these days as you have to drive rather fast to pass and I drive very slowly [not dangerlously slowly I hasten to add]. I'd be lost without a car. The exam these days is nothing like the one I took as a youngster; it's all about keeping up with the speed of the traffic etc. I agree about eye/health tests etc though. I have heard of people over the years driving when they had glaucoma [this was before it was so treatable] and thought how irresponsible it was.

Movedalot I think that's a good idea. It may encourage people to take refresher courses. I do think people who've been driving for a long time tend to get complacent and develop some bad driving habits.

And, if we're so 'dangerous' cause we're getting older, how come our insurance is low compared to young drivers. If anyone knows who's a danger on the roads it's the insurance companies, surely?

I was told once [and I believe this to be true] that examiners have quotas to fill and if they've passed too many in one month they'll fail people towards the end of the month, therefore it's always better to take a test at the start of a month. I didn't believe this at first but then someone confirmed what the first person had said.

Good point about the insurance Tegan

I am appalled by the idea of testing the over sixties maybe 80's but I think it is just another way to persecute the older generation.
We all know that the older driver is the safest driver and insurance goes down not up.

I've just attended a Speed Awareness session as an alternative to points on my licence after being caught by a camera. I found it very illuminating and it did highlight how much I didn't know or had forgotten since I first passed my test. I do think older drivers can create a hazard on the roads and a retest would be good but maybe at 75+. Hopefully it wouldn't be as comprehensive as the test for new drivers.

I support re-testing of older drivers, but feel 66 is too young. It would be a good idea to have to produce evidence of a recent eye-test and suitable glasses from, say, aged 70 then every 5 years or so. A competence test could perhaps be introduced from age 80.

I have a distant relative who is 92 and still drives. He is stone deaf, refuses to wear a hearing aid and drives dangerously slowly, parks at will and is a menace to all other road users! However, he won't entertain catching the bus or calling a taxi.

I think a test for the over 70s would be fair but not on an outright pass or fail basis unless the driver is obviously as blind as a bat, trundling along at 10mph and clinging desperately to the steering wheel. We all develop habits over the years which might have failed us in our original tests but the result of an over 70s test could be graded so the driver could choose to go on a course to correct them and improve some techniques rather than have their licence taken away.