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

Perhaps people over pension age should have to attend a driving course which included an eye test. This would be a positive way of approachng the possibility of driving skills deteriorating. This could then be repeated at say 75, 85, 90 perhaps.

A recent programme that I watched tested driving in teenagers and over 70s (I think) - the older drivers came out on top simply because they approached things steadily and the youngsters went like a bull at a gate.

For me it's a questions of priorities: The bad drivers I come across all seem to be young lads - which sounds very discriminatory but is unfortunately true. I think they should pick on younger people first - they cause the most accidents - if they're going to pick on on a sector of society. Our local courts are full of young people without insurance or have been speeding. This latest idea is the Government's way of getting more money out of older people because you can bet your life these tests will not be free! I'm all for regular eye tests and health checks but for EVERYONE, not just older people. Also the number of people I see clamped to their mobile phones whilst driving beggars belief. I thought there was a law against it. Why make laws if they're not upheld. I even saw a refuse collector manoeuvring a bin to the lorry with one hand and a mobile in the other. OK he wasn't driving but purlease........

Me too. I have one of those SatNavs that tells you when a speed camera's coming up.....so I can wave two fingers at it!

Not my problem Aka (see Speed Awareness post above)

Wonderful idea. Too many old ditherers behind the wheel these days

I think experience compensates for reaction time and there's probably no test for that .

Its other people's actions we need to react to, does driving slower make much difference? Of course the older we get the slower our reactions which is why I have no objection to being re-tested to see if I am within safe limits with how I react to situations on the road.

I'm sure a test could be devised to differentiate between what is a reasonable reaction time to an emergency and what is just too far outside acceptable limits.

But our reactions do slow down as we get older so we tend to drive slower to compensate for it. Will we be expected to have the reaction time of a 20 year old and, if not who's going to decide what's acceptable?

Personally, I wouldn't have any objection to my driving ability being re-tested at intervals after a certain age to make sure I wasn't a danger to myself or others. I do think, though, that a test for speed of reaction would be a good idea as reactions tend to become slower with age.

Then stop all 17 year olds from driving if that's the case.

From the original post, "let's snap this in the bud before our licenses are taken from us all"

If you are capable of driving safely, your licence will not be taken from you. If, however, you are not.......

The important thing is to protect all road users.

The police were stopping certain drivers when I was driving home from work the other week - diverting them off to a coach park. I read later in the local newspaper they were checking the eyesight of older drivers who weren't wearing glasses.

Now, did they not stop me because I look so young for my age, or (more probably) because I was wearing my sunglasses?

It just dawned on me as I was pottering about in the garden just now that the government think that we're quite capabale of holding down responsible jobs till we're [whatever age it is at the moment pension wise..68 and counting probably] but not capable of driving to said place of employment. Can't help but feel that there's a government minister somewhere with shares in a newly formed driving refresher course company .

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but, about 40 years ago, a neighbour of my grandmother drove even though he had bad cataracts just as long as his wife could come with him to issue instructions eg 'Bit near the pavement then, dear' and 'Coming to a T junction, slow down a bit!'

I don't think I've mentioned this before on here but, when we lived in Australia and had to take a driving test, DH got 95% and I got 100%. I have mentioned this to DH once or twice before, I've just not mentioned it on GN

Even though it would leave me less mobile if he failed, I`d like to see my husband`s driving tested again, as he`s a bit hair raising, to say the least. He`s 69, and slow to the point of exasperation in everything he does, except for driving, never sticks to speed limits, and sometimes scares the living daylights out of me! His reply to my pleas to slow down? "Shut up, I know what I`m doing"!

Funnily enough you can drive freely on the roads here if you come from another EU country. You might never have driven on the left before, you might not speak the language, the standards in your country might be very different but it doesn't matter.

My 18 year old son has just passed his test, and the theory test is really hard now. There's far more to learn, and the computer part is something that he found he needed to practise - how many older people have computers? Still not all that many. I wouldn't mind the test as long as the theory isn't included!

For the theory test I took my son to the centre, where he was stripped of all his possessions, had his shirt sleeves and pockets checked, his ears looked at for earpieces and his phone, coat, watch and all else had to go into a locker. I was asked to leave. I was astonished. I didn't know where to go but didn't know how long the theory test would take - about 45 minutes as it happened.

So different from the four questions I was asked at the very end of my test 30 years ago.

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.

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'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 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.

Good point about the insurance Tegan

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.

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?