Older drivers. Should we take a test at 75?

I am curious as to why no one has actually picked up and discussed my suggestion about manadatory congnition tests done in the surgery by a nurse and opticians reporting those with driving licences whose eye sight falls below driving requirements to the DVLA in the way doctors have to report anyone diagnosed with dementia.

It may be that those are totally stupid ideas because I have missed something obvious, but it would be nice to have some feedback.

In the meantime if you are worried about your own driving. The Institute of Advanced Motorists offers mature driver reviews, where one of their experts comes to your locality and you drive them round your area following your most frequent journeys and they give you a sheet at the end reviewing your performance. It is not like a test, just a revie. It costs £85.

www.iamroadsmart.com/courses/mature-driver-review

Very much in favour of tests 70. 75 80. Poor little toddler. Too many on the roads that clearly shouldn’t be. And not just elderly some of the young ones don’t always look and speed along pull out in front of you a lot of road rage too. Yes I’m driver but stick to the speed limits. If I ever thought that my reactions had become slow or there was a situation where I was getting nervous driving then I would book a few refresher lessons or failing that give up. A nervous driver in my opinion who is jumpy and hesitates too much does not make a safe one.

Why single out older people. I drive every day and sometimes long-distance. I see all age groups being reckless on the roads.

As there is an extremely long waiting list for young drivers making older drivers take another test would make waiting times to be over a year which is why it cannot happen

Has the rule changed recently NotSpag?
He hired a car this year because they were going to England from us. It was actually 2 years ago when I added him to my insurance. I have kept him on to keep the lower premium.
I said it was weird.

I frankly feel that everyone, irrespective of their age, eyesight etc. should be required to sit a driving test at 15 year intervals.

I know scores of drivers of all ages who blatantly disregard what they were taught and others who without realising it themselves have developed bad habits.

A couple of years ago RoSPA offered a free assessment to drivers over 75 (I think) and as I am over 80 I arranged to have one. I live in the country and we're not on a bus route so I'd be really isolated without my car.
You don't pass or fail, you get a sheet of paper with ticks or crosses, and recommendations, after driving round town and performing the manoeuvres you did in your original driving test. She didn't have the authority to ban me from driving but no doubt could have recommended I stop.
I found it really helpful , some things have changed since I took my test, and I'd developed some habits which she pulled me up about. (like driving too close to the car in front at traffic lights).
I think we should undergo such assessments at, say, 70 and 80
It was free but I would willingly have paid.

I have NO public transport where I live and could not afford a taxi every time I want to go out. I use very narrow, hilly, single track roads and can reverse long distances if the needs arise - which is more than many of the younger visitors to the area can do, taking chunks out of the banks alongside the roads and most have no idea how to use their wing mirrors. I am 89 years, no accidents in my life, and hope to continue driving safely for many more years!

sorry i don't think taking another driving test is needed. i'm 77 and have therefore renewed my licence twice.
i have regular sight tests and, as i have type 2 diabetes controlled by diet and not insulin, have a diabwtic sight test every year.
i am in control of my car and am a confident driver.
so i see no need for another driving test.
when i feel i should not be driving i will give up.

PamelaJ1 I was told that your licence has to reflect your home address and using my address for it was illegal as you have to sign that it is your primary residence.

I will have to look that up.

I was thinking today of the effect would be of not having a car. I couldn’t get to my daughters in the next village. Couldn’t take my dog to a secure dog field. Couldn’t visit the nearest National Trust property or country park. No garden centres. Visits to the vet would be difficult as would doctors appointments. I’d feel like a prisoner in my home. It cost my partner £50 in taxi fares to get to A&E the other day.

MaggsMcG

Or maybe after X amount of accidents in a year that are attributed to the older driver's age The problem is, there are 85-90 year old drivers who are perfectly safe to drive and it's not fair to lump them altogether.

While l agree with you that many older people are perfectly capable of driving, as l hope l have made clear in my earlier posts, I am horrified by your idea of x number of accidents in a year that are attributed to the older driver's age. I suspect you are thinking of the reversing into a lamppost variety, but, if we take this to its logical conclusion, a tragedy of the type mentioned in the op is inevitable. None of us like the idea of having to take a test, but something has to be done and the rules for very elderly drivers made more stringent in order to avoid more tragedies.

No. It's not changed I don't think Grammaretto - I only thought about it this time as I was about to renew my insurance.

I spoke to him about it after I'd asked my insurance company (and called the old broker we used to use many moons ago) to see if he could go on with a US license.

My son said he knew he wasn't entitled to a UK license anymore as he doesn't live here and wasn't surprised I couldn't add his US one!

He said he thought he could renew it (some years ago after he'd moved) - but apparently not.

He can, and does hire a car on a US license Grammaretto whenever he visits. I thought I'd save him an extra expense as since about February we don't need both cars very often.

There are apparently "some unusual cases" where a UK license may be retained but not in my son's case.
Maybe your son is one of these? Or NZ is different?

@ExDancer, this is an excellent idea and a very good compromise. It would be a good idea to make it compulsory for all older drivers.a

Sorry to everyone.
I seem to have inadvertently hijacked the thread.
Apologies

Someone upthread M0nica did pick up on your good ideas.
As did I.

Might be worth copying your suggestions over to your MP?

You can buy stand alone insurance for friends and relatives to drive your car and vice versa. No need to put them on your insurance if it is only for a short time.
I think we should be like the US where it is the car that is insured not the driver.

We support an elderly friend with life etc. He still drives. 9 years ago I decided I would never go in his car. He was early 80s then. He is now 90.
Few weeks ago he back his car out of his garage . Pressed his key to close the garage door. Then proceeded to reverse, unfortunately he says his shoe was wet n he pressed accelerator instead....shot straight through garage door, took gas meter off wall and only stopped as he came to the end of the garage where a lawnmower stopped him. A neighbour had to pull him out of passenger sude as was so close to other wall couldn't get out. Gas fumes were detected. Gas board called. Road had to be dug up by his drive as he waited in neighbours house, obviously shaken up. Took few days for road to be cleared safe by Gas men. New gas meter was installed outside house, not in garage. Car was insured and repaired. He now has car back. His driving renewal form arrived during all of this. I saw it. And yes confirm it's just a tick box form. I took him for eye test at hospital year ago and asked the consultant there, twice, could my friend still drive even though only sight in one eye. Yes indeed he could. Had a general eye test in November, yes Can still drive. It's very difficult area. I think my friend should sit another test tbh. He only goes out twice a week shopping. Same route . Never drives any further.

Good ideas M0nica. Definitely worth sending to your MP and I shall encourage my MP to take this on board. Tests like these will not cost very much and are really more about giving permission to opticians and GPs.

Glamdram that story is rather too frequently heard.
"My old dad only drives to Tesco" etc etc.
In this case the old dad died before he had an accident.

My DFiL was driving well into his 80s. He had one too many prangs and scrapes and presumably lost his licence but then his even older wife took the wheel! She said "he yells instructions and i follow them!" After he died, she gave the car to her DS.

Making policy on the basis of one tragic accident is not right. Most 75 year olds don't have such accidents. Most accidents involve young male drivers so there would be a case for repeat testing at say 21 and 25.

Pittcity

You can buy stand alone insurance for friends and relatives to drive your car and vice versa. No need to put them on your insurance if it is only for a short time.
I think we should be like the US where it is the car that is insured not the driver.

I think Saga car insurance covers your car being driven by someone else if necessary.

Lyndie

Why single out older people. I drive every day and sometimes long-distance. I see all age groups being reckless on the roads.

You aren’t wrong 🙄

In Spain in order to renew your licence past 70 you need to be examined by a doctor and also do a computer test which measures things like reaction times etc. I think this has to be done every three years or so. Seems like a good system.

Pittcity yes we have done this too - but it's much more expensive that way.