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Safe Driving In Old Age

Motoring gives elderly drivers their much-valued independence, but at what stage should they call it a day and not renew their driving licence?

This debate was reignited earlier this year when the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a collision in his Land Rover-Freelander near the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

The 97-year-old duke escaped injury and voluntarily surrendered his licence following the high-profile incident.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to re-take your driving test when you get older, but you must, by law, apply for a new licence as you approach your 70th birthday.

Driving licences expire at this age, so if you want to carry on driving you must renew your licence within 90 days of reaching 70, then again, every three years after that.

You can still drive while the DVLA is processing your renewal, as long as you held a valid licence, you have your doctor’s support to continue driving, you’re not currently disqualified, and your last licence wasn’t refused or revoked on medical grounds. Additionally, your application must be less than a year old and you can only drive under the conditions of the previous licence.

When renewing, you should also make sure you meet the minimum eyesight requirement for safe driving. This means always wearing glasses or contact lenses if you need them every time you get behind the wheel. To be doubly sure, it’s recommended that you have an eye test at least every two years.

You must inform the DVLA if you have any sight problems, apart from colour blindness, long sightedness or short sightedness.

It’s also vital that you let the DVLA know if you have a medical condition which could affect your driving. The UK. Gov website provides an A to Z list of these conditions. If you don’t, then you could be handed a £1,000 fine, and you could be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result of your condition.

Of course, you may well be very sprightly in later life, but people’s reactions get slower with age and older drivers may find busy roads more stressful than they did in their younger years.

There is no cut off point for stopping driving, but for peace of mind and the safety of other road users, it may be worth booking a refresher driving lesson. Many local councils as well as bodies such as RoSPA and the IAM, the Institute of Advanced Motorists, run professional driving assessments for older people so they can determine for themselves their fitness to drive.

Most mature drivers know when the time is right to quit. They don’t want to be a liability. Some readily admit that they’re glad to be free of the responsibility and now prefer to be driven than drive.

It can be a sad day when elderly motorists come to surrender their licence, but road safety must be the overriding concern.

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Safe Driving In Old Age