What we know about plans to change driving test rules for over-70s

Yahoo

3 days ago

The government is considering the introduction of mandatory eye tests every three years for drivers over the age of 70.
The government is considering compulsory eye tests for motorists over 70 in a shake-up of driving laws in England and Wales, it has been reported.
Plans to reduce the drink-driving limit are also being contemplated, according to a report in The Times newspaper.
The proposals are part of a major new strategy to be announced in the autumn aimed at reducing the number of deaths on the roads.
Yahoo News UK examines the plans and what they could mean for drivers in England and Wales.
What are the current rules?
There is no legal age at which someone must stop driving.
At the moment, people can carry on going behind the wheel as long as they do not have any medical conditions that affect their driving.
Motorists aged over 70 must renew their driving licence and update their driving licence photograph every three years.
When they do so, the government says they must tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they have a problem with their eyesight and both eyes are affected. This does not include being short-sighted, long-sighted or colour blind.
When renewing, drivers must declare that they can read a car number plate from 20m away and have an adequate field of vision.
What do we know about the new plans?
The UK is one of only three countries in Europe that relies on self-reporting of failing eyesight for motorists.
The government is said to be concerned about older people who continue to drive despite their eyesight failing.
Under the reported new plans, drivers over 70 would have to complete a mandatory successful eye test in order to renew their driving licence every three years. Those who failed they eye test would be banned from driving.
In April, Dr James Adeley, the former senior coroner for Lancashire, sent a report to transport secretary Heidi Alexander to demand action following an inquest into four deaths caused by drivers with failing eyesight.
A Labour source told PA Media: 'At the end of the last Labour government, the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads was at a record low, but numbers have remained stubbornly high under successive Conservative governments.
'In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying, with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2bn per year.'
A Department for Transport spokesperson told Yahoo News UK: "Our roads are some of the safest in the world, but any death on the roads is a tragedy.
"Road safety measures have not been reviewed for over a decade, and we will set out the next steps for our strategy for road safety in due course."
In addition, Alexander is contemplating cutting the drink-drive limit in England and Wales from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms, putting it in line with Scotland and the rest of Europe.
What has the reaction been?
Motoring groups have welcomed the proposed changes to driving laws, but those representing pensioners have dismissed the plans, saying they needlessly single out the over-70s.
Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, told Yahoo News UK: "There is no case for the over-70s to be picked out for compulsory eye tests every three years before they can continue to drive.
"We are unaware of any evidence suggesting accidents involving 70-year-olds, caused by eyesight problems, are any more common than other age groups.
"Older people, making use of free eyesight tests, are far more likely to have self-corrected their vision through spectacles or cataract operations. There is a case for compulsory eyesight tests, but these should apply to everyone, perhaps every 10 years. This policy suggestion is lazy, lacking evidential basis, and is naked age discrimination."
But AA president Edmund King said vision checks for older drivers "can make a real difference".
He said: 'This strategy is much overdue as road deaths have plateaued over the last decade.
'We believe these new measures will not only modernise our approach to saving lives but also provide renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everyone.'
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: 'While many drivers over the age of 70 are safe and competent, health issues and confidence can have an impact on driving abilities, so it is sensible to review whether changes need to be made."
'There should be something in place when people hit 70'
A woman whose elderly mother died after pulling out her car into oncoming traffic says there should be rule changes for older motorists.
Geraldine Gibson, 79, died after pulling into the path of another car at the A30 near Launceston, Cornwall, while the driver of the other vehicle was left with minor injuries.
Her daughter, Claire Eady, told Yahoo News UK earlier this month: "There should definitely be something in place when people hit 70.
"At least eye tests and looking at their ability to drive. Even some people at that age can't read number plates if they have to, and there's no requirement on opticians to report that."
How many accidents are caused by elderly drivers?
According to the government, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 were seriously injured in road collisions in 2024, and numbers have remained relatively constant following a large fall between 2000 and 2010.
In 2023, older car drivers accounted for about 10% of all casualties in collisions involving cars, the government said.
Between 2004 and 2023, the number of people killed or seriously injured from a road collision involving at least one driver over the age of 70 increased from 3,082 to 3,451, a 12% rise.
Between 2019 and 2023, 27% of those killed or seriously injured in a road accident involving at least one elderly driver were male and over the age of 70.