Elderly drivers could be 'forced' to take two new tests every three years
Motorists aged 70 and over could soon face mandatory eyesight and cognitive assessments to retain their driving licences, as mounting pressure builds on the Labour Government and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Siobhan Thomas, a Partner in the Serious Injury Team at law firm Hugh James, has led the campaign advocating for these stricter requirements.
The proposed changes aim to ensure that older drivers remain safe and capable behind the wheel, tackling concerns about age-related decline in driving abilities, reports Chronicle Live.
She stated: "Depending on your responses to the self-assessment questionnaire, you may be required to undergo a medical assessment to assess your fitness to drive.
"These assessments are conducted by healthcare professionals, often your GP or a designated medical practitioner.
"Medical assessments may include vision tests, cognitive assessments, and discussions about specific health conditions that could affect your ability to drive safely."
She elaborated: "In some cases, drivers aged 70 and above may be asked to take a practical driving test as part of the renewal process.
"This is more common if there are concerns about your ability to drive safely based on your self-assessment questionnaire or medical assessments.
"The practical driving test is similar to the test taken when obtaining your initial driving licence. It assesses your ability to operate a vehicle safely in various road and traffic conditions."
One driver expressed their opinion saying: "Licences for life were a very bad idea. They should applied for every five years and as an 81 year old I agree with every three years over 70 ,when you apply at the very least a certificate of vision.
"When I was a police officer it was the 25 yard test and a lot of young people were lacking in being able to read a number plate, so not just us wrinkles but young smoothies as most accidents are caused by those between 18/40 insurance statistics."
Another motorist shared their view: "I cant see the problem with this. However there are much younger drivers who are too vain to wear glasses when they need them."
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They suggested: "Perhaps these tests should be carried out every five years after the age of for eg 50."
And another individual commented: "I gave my licence up on my 80th birthday I as did not want to finish on the front page of a newspaper having caused an accident, possibly fatal."
In other motoring news, British drivers have been alerted to a new scam that could see them drowned in fines for driving crimes they haven't even committed.
This is a result of number plate cloning, a relatively new and sophisticated criminal enterprise that sees crooks scan social media for plate numbers and use them on similar cars used in illegal activity.
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Plates like 'BO75 OCK', 'BL75 JOB' and 'DR75 NKY' were blocked for being too rude or suggestive The '5' in '75' looks like an 'S', making it easier to spell out offensive or controversial words Political and socially sensitive plates like 'EU75 WAR' and 'NO75 LEZ' were also removed Drivers caught modifying plates to mimic banned versions could face fines and legal trouble Every March and September, the DVLA cracks down on number plates they consider offensive, inappropriate, or likely to cause a stir. The DVLA has already blocked hundreds of plates ahead of the September launch of the new '75' registration, so beware if you're eyeing a fresh personalised number plate Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The introduction of the '75' series has brought a fresh headache for officials — because the number '5' can look like an 'S', it opens up a minefield of potentially rude or controversial wordplay. 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(Photos: Getty Images/Carwow) | Getty Images/Carwow 75 HAG 75 LAG 75 LUT 75 PAZ 75 TAB AA75 LAH AA75 RSE AF75 GAT AF75 GTT AF75 GUT AH75 OMO AJ75 HAD AP75 OFF AP75 SUP AR75 RSE AR75 YAN AS75 BJX AS75 EXX AS75 FKT AS75 FUL AS75 FWC AS75 GAY AS75 HAT AS75 HOL AS75 JOY AS75 LWT AS75 OLE AS75 RUB AS75 WNK AU75 WTS AU75 WTZ BA75 ARD BA75 ERD BA75 HTT BA75 SHT BA75 TAD BA75 TRD BA75 TTD BA75 TUD BF75 TED BJ75 BAD BJ75 EXX BJ75 EXY BJ75 GUD BJ75 HAT BJ75 HOT BJ75 LOB BJ75 LSD BJ75 NOB BJ75 STD BO75 DED BO75 DTH BO75 GAY BO75 LSD BO75 NOB BU75 DCK BU75 DKS BU75 EXE BU75 EXS BU75 EXX BU75 EXZ BU75 FKT BU75 GAY BU75 HTE BU75 LSD BU75 NOB BU75 SHT CO75 DED CO75 DTH CR75 PLE CR75 PPL CU75 DCK CU75 DKS CU75 DYK CU75 FGM CU75 FWF CU75 GAY CU75 MUF CU75 NOB CU75 PRC CU75 PRK CU75 VAG CU75 VAJ CU75 YOU DA75 FKT EA75 BOY EA75 BUT EA75 DCK EA75 DKS EA75 DYK EA75 DYE EA75 FWF EA75 GAL EA75 GAY EA75 GRL EA75 HER EA75 HTT EA75 JUW EA75 LAD EA75 LEZ EA75 LSD EA75 MAM EA75 MEE EA75 MEN EA75 MLF EA75 MME EA75 MOT EA75 MUF EA75 NAN EA75 NOB EA75 POO EA75 PWP EA75 SHT EA75 VAG EA75 VAJ EA75 MUM EU75 BAD EU75 BOM EU75 FWC EU75 GON EU75 HTR EU75 ODS EU75 ODZ EU75 OFF EU75 OUT EU75 SHT EU75 WAR EU75 YES FA75 DCK FA75 DKS FA75 DYC FA75 DYK FA75 EXX FA75 FKT FA75 FWF FA75 GAT FA75 GTS FA75 GTT FA75 GUT FA75 NOB FA75 PRC FA75 PRK FA75 PUS FA75 RSE FA75 SHT FA75 VAG FA75 VAJ FA75 WAH FF75 TED FK75 AKE FK75 EXE FK75 EXX FK75 EXY FK75 HAT FK75 LAM FK75 LOB FK75 REL FK75 VAJ GA75 AJU GA75 BOM GA75 BOY GA75 CMP GA75 DED GA75 DTH GA75 GAY GA75 HER GA75 JEU GA75 JUD GA75 KLL GA75 NAS GA75 NAZ GA75 OVN GA75 SED GA75 SSD GA75 UUU GA75 UUX GA75 YOU GA75 ZAA GA75 ZAX GB75 BAD GB75 BOM GB75 DED GB75 DWN GB75 FKT GB75 GNG GB75 GUN GB75 HTR GB75 KLL GB75 KLR GB75 KLS GB75 MOB GB75 SHT GB75 WAR GE75 BJS GE75 BJX GE75 BJZ GE75 BOM GE75 DCK GE75 DED GE75 FKT GE75 FWC GE75 GAY GE75 GUN GE75 HOT GE75 JEU GE75 JUW GE75 KYK GE75 LEZ GE75 LGB GE75 LSD GE75 NGR GE75 NGZ GE75 PAK GE75 PKY GE75 PUS GE75 STD GE75 VAG GE75 VAJ GO75 BLO GO75 BOM GO75 FKT GO75 FWF GO75 GAY GO75 GUN GO75 HOT GO75 JEU GO75 JUW GO75 KLR GO75 KLS GO75 KYK GO75 LEZ GO75 LSD GO75 NGR GO75 NGZ GO75 PAK GO75 PKY GO75 REL GO75 SHT GO75 STD GO75 VAG GO75 VAJ GO75 WAR GY75 POS HE75 HEE HE75 HES HE75 HEX HE75 HEZ HH75 NAZ HH75 OMO HH75 TLR HO75 AGE HO75 BJS HO75 BJX HO75 BJZ HO75 DCK HO75 EXE HO75 EXX HO75 FKS HO75 FWC HO75 FWF HO75 UCA HO75 UCC HO75 UCX HO75 UKK HO75 VAG HO75 VAJ JJ75 HAD JU75 CMP JU75 NAS JU75 NAZ JU75 OVN KL75 HOT KL75 REL KN75 FED KN75 FER KN75 FES KN75 FEU KN75 FEX KN75 FEY KN75 VED KN75 VES KN75 VEU LE75 BJX LE75 BOS LE75 BOZ LE75 KLL LE75 LSD LE75 SHT LE75 ZAA LE75 ZAR LE75 ZAS LE75 ZAX LE75 ZAZ LE75 ZBO LE75 ZER LE75 ZRR LE75 ZRS LE75 ZZA LE75 ZZR LO75 DED MO75 EST MP75 GUN MP75 HOT MU75 DER NA75 TZE NA75 ZEE NA75 ZZE NF75 NAZ NF75 XRW NG75 NOG NO75 ANE NO75 LAM NO75 LEZ NO75 REL NU75 ACK NU75 BJS NU75 BJX NU75 BJZ NU75 DCK NU75 FKT NU75 FUL NU75 JOB NU75 NOB NU75 RUB NU75 SAC NU75 SAK NU75 STD NU75 UCZ NU75 UKK NU75 UKS NU75 UKZ NU75 VAG NU75 VAJ OR75 ASM PA75 NOB PA75 PUS PA75 VAG PA75 VAJ PE75 ADO PE75 DCK PE75 KLL PE75 KLR PE75 MUF PE75 NOB PE75 RVT PE75 VRT PM75 HOT PP75 OFF PP75 SED PP75 SER PP75 SSS PP75 SUP PR75 CCK PR75 CKK PR75 CKS PS75 CHO PU75 SYY RE75 ARD RE75 TRD RO75 NOB RO75 STD RO75 VAG RO75 VAJ SH75 HOT SH75 TSS SH75 TTR SH75 TTS SH75 TTT SH75 TTY ST75 ABB ST75 ABS ST75 ABU ST75 ABX ST75 ABZ SU75 CDE TH75 SHT TO75 DCK TO75 DED TO75 DKS TO75 DTH TO75 DYK TO75 DYE TO75 FKT TO75 GAY TO75 HOT TO75 KLL TO75 LSD TO75 MDR TO75 NOB TO75 PRC TO75 PRK TO75 VAG TO75 VAJ TR75 DRG TR75 LSD TR75 MAC TR75 MAK TR75 POT TT75 RUB TT75 WNK UA75 RSE UB75 TCH UF75 TED UP75 LAM UP75 LSD UP75 REL UP75 SED US75 HAT US75 WAR UU75 HAT VA75 GNA WE75 BJS WE75 BJX WE75 BJZ WE75 EXX WE75 FWF WE75 MUF WE75 NOB WE75 POT WE75 PRC WE75 PRK WE75 PUS WE75 VAG WE75 VAJ WO75 FKT XA75 RSE XF75 TED YB75 TCH YE75 MEN Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Personalised plates are a fun way to make your car stand out — but the DVLA is making sure that 'fun' doesn't become offensive. Trying to tweak banned plates with spacing or font tricks won't save you - modifying a plate to look like a banned combination can lead to hefty fines or legal trouble. Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
