older people are a "greater liability"

My friend and I were only talking about this last week. I am 70 and she is 71 and we are both dreading the day we have to give up driving. I was recently without my car for three weeks and hated having to rely on the children when I needed shopping. Luckily DH didn't have any hospital appointments during those weeks or we'd have had to ask for help with them too. We both hate the thought of spending our old age reliant on public transport while we hump heavy shopping around in all weathers.

That's not likely to be right because the speed awareness only applies (or formerly did)to those breaking the 30mph limit

Has it changed?

just had my 1st speeding ticket in over 40 years of driving. (nearly 60!) I Opted to do the speed awareness course instead of having points. In a group of 35 people, 28 of us were women in our 50s and 60s! Was this just a coincidence?

What was annoying to me though was the fact that we had all just gone over the speed limit by 4 - 5 miles per hour. I was sitting next to a 40 year old man who had been done for driving at 84 mph!!! Don't think we should have even been on the same course, what do you think?

The Institute of Advanced Drivers does assessment trips for older drivers. One of their assessors accompanies you on a drive round your local area and at the end of the journey, tells you what aspects of your driving you need to give attention to, and can, if necessary, tell you if they think you should hand in your licence because you are not safe on the road.

Nearly knocked down yesterday on zebra crossing. I was half way across when an elderly gent too busy looking for parking place just drove straight across the crossing
So there well may come a time when we have to seriously consider giving up the car. Best not to move too far out of town when u retire!

Mair, I hope that's not the case, but it's likely than someone will and hopefully before anything bad happens.

It will likely be so gradual you'll not recognise it Willa.

Insurance companies in the US saddle young males with higher premiums stating they incur the most costly incidents. Is that because emotional maturity plays a big part in being a safe driver? ...because some people are very immature no matter what age they are. So, what about driving over 50? That depends. Personally, I will continue driving for as long as I'm healthy and don't compromise anyone's safety. The minute I start losing my abilities behind the wheel, I will be the first to hand over the keys.

As the saying goes , there are lies, damn lies and statistics. They will make them up to justify charging more. It's worthwhile to shop around for car insurance.

It just struck me that often men aged 50+ often have ab urge to re-live their youth. and as they have more money than they did then they spend it on fast cars or classic motorbikes.
Then drive too fast?
I wonder if there are statistics for accidents comparing men and women aged 50+?

"I believe that many accidents happen within a quite close distance from home so just driving to the shops and back is not necessarily safer. We are either safe or not. "

Its not so black and white. Nobody is absolutely 'safe' although some people are absolutely unsafe! Its a spectrum.
Some people are reckless or otherwise poor drivers all their lives. Some very very competent drivers are arrogant and drive too fast, making them less than the excellent drivers they otherwise could be. Most older drivers deteriorate slightly due to slower reflexes, the ageing eye adapting more slowly to changing light conditions, less acute hearing etc, but this can be compensated for by greater caution, less impatience, preparing for long journeys and taking breaks etc.

I suggest the reason most accidents happen near home is because this is where the bulk of most peoples' driving takes place. Its a false conclusion that driving on such familiar roads is therefor not 'safer' than going on unfamiliar journeys. Motorways are known to be safer, but I suggest the most hazardous situation is driving in unfamiliar towns and in heavy traffic. Most very old drivers avoid these situations in remaining local and usually not driving at night which also is a time of increased accidents.

How ridiculous! I passed my test when I was 52 and 22 years on I have never had an accident or penalty points on my licence. I will keep driving as long as my eyesight and general health allows.

Most emphatically, Since I no longer need to make longish journeys in my car to visit an elderly relative, DH make a point of sharing the driving with me on long journeys.

DGC live 200 miles away, one of us does the up journey, the other the return, in his car. It is the same when we go to our house in France.

My DF drove himself in his own car to and from France to within months of his death at the age of 92. His youngest sister is also driving, quite safely as she comes up to her 90th birthday.

I read somewhere that elderly widows (who??) are a particular road risk, when they resume driving, often in a large family car, once husband has passed away. Apparently the assumption is, that the 'lady' has sat in the passenger seat for donkeys years, and now needs to resume some semblance of independence.
Somewhat sexist, don't you think!

I'm 73 and two years ago I drove back from the French Alps on my own - love driving in France as the roads are much emptier. I drive almost every day as I live in a very rural area with the local, fairly infrequent bus, nearly a mile away. I believe that many accidents happen within a quite close distance from home so just driving to the shops and back is not necessarily safer. We are either safe or not. The ROSPA scheme sounds good though so might check that out.

I am determined that our kids won't worry about us like we worry about our parents.
We intend to move nearer to a bus stop.

But buses are by no means an adequate substitute for a car and waiting in the cold for unreliable buses is really bad for old people.

I am 61 & bought a new car 4.5 years ago, I have only done 7500 miles in this time although that will increase from this year as when I visit DM 300 miles away I will have to take my car, she has had to give up driving at 87 due to advice from the Hospital regarding her eyesight & has now sold her car. I will split the journey staying overnight as I have never attempted the journey without another driver to share driving.

I suggest one reason why repairs for older drivers cost ore is that many of us can afford to drive new/newer cars which are more expensive to repair.

In 2015 a young man (20's) reversed into my parked car at a local garage, he owned up & contacted his Insurance Company, my car was driveable, damage was to rear corner of car, Cost of repair over £900 & 1 week hire car, that is the only time there has been an incident since I was 17 & recently passed my test (no-one else involved, my own stupidity, lack of experience + country road, repair paid for by me)

I have had a full Licence since 17 & driven all over UK, in all sorts of weather conditions & a variety of roads. No Points on Licence ever, so who's safer? I have been without my Licence due to Epilepsy (automatic 1 year ban after seizure) but have always had it returned to me as my Epilepsy is controlled by Medication.

My Licence is my lifeline, my freedom especially now as a Widow, Internet shopping is ok but sometimes it's nice to go out & about.

As my DF used to say "there's lies, damn lies & statistics" not sure who originally said that. I do agree that GPs should have more input on Driving Licence renewals over 70, but I'm used to that as my GP has to reply to a questionnaire from DVLA every time my Licence has to be renewed, makes sure Medical problems are correctly recorded. I'm not suggesting people lie but maybe omit answers as they don't feel it applies to them. If my DH had completed his renewal form at 70 I don't think he would have completed it as I did, form to GP & Licence renewed no problem.

Sorry for such a long post but I feel so passionate about older drivers being blamed all the time

50??? That is still young! Well amongst my friends it is. I appreciate there are many people much older than that, who are good drivers. However from my experience there are quite a few who are nearing 80 that should not be on the road and the families concerned have had to very gently speak to them. I see it where I'm living now. There is no bus service to speak of and quite a few of them are a danger on the roads.

I am determined that our kids won't worry about us like we worry about our parents.
We intend to move nearer to a bus stop.

Sensible post EmilyH

There is a .gov site to help one decide if one should stop driving.
www.nidirect.gov.uk/older-drivers-deciding-when-to-stop-driving
No group of individuals should be penalised for one or two serious avoidable accidents.

For many of us who drive there is no alternative other than moving house if not driving. Clearly as one grow older one may do more online shopping, get grocery deliveries etc so as to minimize driving. Get ones eyes checked regularly. Use a sat nave, print out aa directions, keep the car well serviced etc.

Thank you for contributors who have advised of RSPoA lessons. Glad to have that information. www.roadar.org.uk/

What an odd idea that 50 could be the age at which we become worryingly old behind the wheel. Between 50 and 68 I was driving huge distances every year, driving youngsters as part of my job and my own whenever necessary, up and down the motorways to distant universities, finding my way round cities before the days of sat.nav, collecting a bunch of teenagers in the small hours and dropping them home along with my own, and doing the 70 mile London to the south coast run sometimes 5 days a week when Mother needed help.
I don't need to do much of that now but when I drive my offspring (and theirs) not one of them is hanging on to the door like I sometimes did when teaching them to drive! Not once has anyone suggested I, or they, might be safer in a taxi. When that happens I will give up the driving but it will make a huge difference to my life to be
without my wheels.
What a I do think though is that doctors should bring up the question of safety to drive with their patients. We had to beg the doctor to tell my mother in her 80s that enough was enough after she had many small accidents, some of which could have been disastrous had she lived somewhere with more traffic and more pedestrians but she wouldn't dare tell her. We did the sums for her to show her how many taxis she could take in a year for money spent on using the car. In the end my brother took the car away for 'repairs' and never brought it back. I doubt if she took more than half a dozen taxis in the next ten years, rather relying on neighbours and family, helpful organisations and ambulances.

Yes but its a small problem affecting only those who dont go for diagnosis. Not even all of this group will continue driving or if they do will do very little.
Its NOT a justification for threatening all seventy year olds with a test! That is ageism

Many disabilities limit an individuals abilities driving, including physical and mental impairments , but most of these people drive in a limited way, and cautiously. Some humanity and common sense demands they should be allowed to and the same goes for the very old.

I do think there is a problem with driving with dementia, because I know several people who have gone on driving when the rest of their lives were quite a mystery to them

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3070844/Motorway-accidents-involving-foreign-lorries-soared-14-cent-Polish-drivers-topping-crash-league-table.html

Surprisingly there even are some statistics supporting this!

Motorway accidents involving foreign lorries have soared by 14 per cent in just two years, figures have revealed

*Polish, German and Spanish HGVs are most likely to be in a motorway accident, according to a report by the Accident Exchange.
Polish lorries accounted for 167 motorway accidents involving foreign lorries last year, or 15.73 per cent of the total*