Should there be a driving test and a cut off age?

Compulsory retesting every 5 years after 70? 75?

Research has found that older drivers are no more likely to be involved in road crashes than other drivers. According to a study by Swansea University, males aged 17-21 are three-four times more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers aged 70 or over.

After all this we went out this afternoon in the car and an elderly gentleman with what I assume his wife sitting alongside was driving in front of us and his driving was totally erratic, swaying from side to side and slowing then speeding up.

I suppose he could have been drunk, but it really was terribly dangerous.. tbh if I’d had my mobile with me I would have contacted the police.

I was collecting DD2 from work in a nearby hospital with DGS2 age 2 in the car when the tragedy had just happened and the traffic was being diverted. We were late and I had to phone her to say why though didn't know what had happened. You could see all the emergency vehicles and it was horrendous. The road has a 20 mph limit and is much quieter just now because of lockdown so hard to imagine why this would happen. Apparently car shot out a side street across to other side and hit a shop having run over the child and his mother. Today the photo of a darling innocent tot was in the paper and the parents are devastated. Quote they have given "What will we do without you Xander?" They have thanked everyone who helped, emergency workers and hospital staff. Last night and tonight DD2 has been in tears about it and I'm not far off. I think being near the accident scene and with a toddler of similar age brings it home. There have been several fatal accidents involving older drivers in this region over last couple of years so absolutely yes there should be a mandatory test probably by 75 repeated every couple of years and sorry but no one of 91 should be driving - not needed and very dangerous. People think they are ok but there is no earthly way reflexes are able to cope in a sudden emergency the same as when you are younger! I witnessed an old lady - still don't know what she was trying to do - outside the health centre shooting forwards into the car in front - shooting backwards into the car behind then shooting sideways into the car on the other side of the road then stopping - a male passer by took the car keys off her as her friend - similar age said " She is a really good driver". Fortunately only the cars were damaged. Some people might disagree but if it saves the life of one child then it is worth it.

Yes suziewoozie - and of course we were young drivers once (in the days when drinking and driving was commonplace), and the young of today will be old drivers if they survive!

I agree with both points suzie.

In the case of the elderly I suspect it's a matter of pride.

Just over half of over 70s have driving licences. So plenty who can’t drive or can’t afford a car. There is no argument for allowing unfit over 70s to drive just because public transport is poor- rather public transport should be better for everyone regardless of age. As for younger drivers, again, because some of them are poor, dangerous drivers doesn’t address the issue of problem older drivers. It’s a separate unrelated issue.

growstuff I agree but think it's high time there was proper investment in affordable, flexible transport.

Going back to the poor old woman whose car mounted the pavement with tragic consequences: She lives in one of the best served cities in the UK for buses, trams, trains. She did not need to be driving. It becomes a habit.

In Scotland, we are still not allowed to drive more than 5 miles from home, due to the covid-19 restrictions, so she will be a local.

It depends where you live. Some areas hardly have any public transport. Parents breath a sigh of relief when they can stop ferrying their children around.

The lack of public transport affects older people too.

How often have we asked as a boy/girl racer roars past us in a super- charged pimped up car: "How did they get through the test?"

For me, the car has always been just a means of transport, to get us from A-B so perhaps I have never understood the fascination with fast cars.

It saddens me when people I know buy cars for their 16 yr old DC. It is done with the best of intentions but these youngsters never learn how to use public transport.

Most of us edit our driving as we get older (not in the dark, not on motorways etc) but it is a bravely honest driver who admits to not being up to driving any more.

I contacted DH’s Parkinson’s consultant to ask her to check his spatial awareness and reaction times because I was concerned about him. She gave him several simple tests and told him that his driving days were over. It was hard for him but he does now say that he had become less good - having been an excellent driver and clocked up thousands of miles for work and visiting the Continent. I was just relieved that he kept a clean licence and never actually caused an accident. I hope I will be as honest when the time comes - and of course there will be nobody to drive me!

I suspect there are far more under 30 drivers. Some elderly people have already decided for themselves to give up driving and there are some who never learnt how to drive in the first place.

I quite see why there is an argument for age related driving test.

But I suspect that there are far or fatalities caused by younger drivers, especially in the age group up to 30.

I am sure it is not beyond the wit of man/woman to come up with a solution.

I think it should be socially unacceptable to be behind the wheel as you age. Instead of boasting, as FiL used to, that you have driven to the south of France every year and aren't you clever and not going to stop.

What about cheaper taxis?. Dial-a-ride? we already have free buses for older people and senior rail cards.

A car is a lethal weapon and in the wrong hands, it can do dreadful damage.

My dearest friend was killed last year by a driver who had mounted the pavement at speed . The “older driver” driver had a medical condition she had not disclosed to DVLA . Her death has devastated her family and friends . I think there should be a proper medical if people wish to continue driving after 70 , not just a declaration to state that you are still fit to drive . In fact anyone of any age who has a medical condition requiring strong pain killers or sedatives should be assessed by their GP .

What about an old age plate? We have L plates for learners so why not an O for old? If I see an L plate i assume that it is a learner who is driving and steer clear, in case they do anything silly but also not to put the wind up them.

I agree with those who say there should be a compulsory medical - and not conducted by the GP either. The present system of self certification from the age of 70 is just not adequate. I think the person should have to pay towards the cost ( with exemptions of on pension credit). I think it’s a very very rare person whose reaction times do not slow with age. Also I would make it compulsory for all doctors ( GPS and hospital doctors) to report immediately any condition/diagnosis etc that could adversely affect a person’s ability to drive ( regardless of age obviously.

I would not be in favour of a mandatory cut off age at which people have to stop driving. It is often the case that a person at the age of seventy-five can be in a better physical and medical condition than someone ten years younger.

However, as we all become older we often become subject to medical conditions which in their symptoms or in the drugs or other treatments being received to reduce those symptoms affect our driving.

In that, eyesight is obviously predominant but conditions that affect the neck and limbs can also be important when driving a vehicle. Drugs used in treatments of numerous disorders can cause side effects that can be very detrimental to driving abilities.

A solution that has been put forward by the insurance industry in recent months would mean a numeric risk assessment being brought into being for all who drive vehicles.

Therefore, various disabilities would acquire a score on a drivers licence which may be increased or decreased by a physician depending on the severity of the disability in conjunction with the treatments and drugs being used to control the medical problem.

The above could be invaluable where a person has multiple problems and where various symptoms and drugs are being used to control the symptoms. Therefore where, by example, the numeric five by five risk assessment could incur a maximum total of twenty-five the ultimate number for a person to retain their driving licence when the effects of all treatments are assessed would be between eight and nine.

The above would give any driver a clear numeric total over which they would be well aware they would not be allowed to drive. The foregoing could be brought into being with an annual compulsory medical examination for all over the age of forty-five.

I'll probably start at riot here, but I don't agree. My heart goes out to the family of the child and the driver, but suggesting everyone over retirement age gets regular testing isn't the answer in my opinion. How many children are killed each year by younger drivers? That doesn't make headlines of course. Should everyone, not just the over 65, on prescription drugs that could make them drowsy, who haven't got perfect eyesight, who need a hip/knee replacement etc. be forced to stop driving? I could go on.

My Father was driving into his 80s. The family decided it was time for him to stop and he did, although the lack of his independence really hit him hard. Thank goodness I was able to take him and Mum to their appointments as I took early retirement, although it was a 30 mile round trip.

Also, would pay for these tests? There are millions of us over 65s. If we were expected to pay ourselves there would be an outcry so the burden would be on the NHS again. There are some excellent older drives and we shouldn't tar everyone over 65 with the same brush.

Age is a bit tricky as some people are still working aged 70 and over.

My grandma announced at 80 she would no longer be driving.Even though she was still capable of driving she had made her own cut off point which most family members have followed.

I think probably 80 would be an age where a driving assessment should be carried out although I think every driver should have an eye test every year.

Some years ago when I was working in a Drs surgery,an elderly lady reversed through the waiting room wall.Luckily it was lunch time and the surgery was empty or it would have been carnage.Her driving licence was rescinded.A couple of weeks later one of the GP’s reported he had seen her riding a bicycle through the village?

I think a lot! of older/elderly people will not go for an eye test as they will know that the optician could stop them driving.

Definitely there should be a test of some kind. Surely at some point the safety of the general public is more important than an individual’s independence and liberty ?
Mymother was an excellent driver. It at some point in her 80s she thought she’d had a blackout while driving. She never drove again for which I really admire her.

I thought oldser people had to have a driving test at 70, a lady i used to know often gave me a lift, but i was shocked when she gave a lift one day and signalled to go one way and went the other, not long after that she was diagnosed with a brain tumour,and told she had only 6 weeks left to live, she actually lived for another year, but her daughter told me that she must have forged whatever she needed a signature for to say she was fit to drive, and the daughters husband usually signed it,but wasn't asked so they thought someone else must have,
I was horrified to think she was so ill and still driving

I feel quite strongly about this. My late DH was driving myself and DS home one day and went to go out on to the main road from a junction when myself and DS shouted for him to stop. He admitted he hadn't really seen the car until the very last minute. A few days later he came home from golf saying he had a bad game and thought there was something wrong with his right eye. Was diagnosed as losing his central vision in that eye and gave up driving and his golf immediately. Said he didn't miss the driving as he had a chauffeur (me!) but, boy, did he miss his golf and the social life that went with it but never really complained as he knew it was the right thing to do. He was 82 at the time. I would like to see a system where diagnosis of eyesight problems by doctor or optician should be reported to the DVLA.

I think 80 is too late. If reaction and eye tests started at say, retirement age and continued about 3 yearly I think that would be worth something. It’s usually eyesight or reaction time that is the issue I think and these tests are easy to administer. Maybe the driving practical checks are a good idea too later on but if we all got used to the eyesight and reaction checks it wouldn’t feel so dreadful.