Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests

[Resident]

Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests

The proposed changes in England and Wales come after a coroner calls the UK's licensing system the "laxest in Europe".

www.bbc.com

Another 3 years and this will affect me but what's interesting is that earlier this year I was watching one of my regular TV programmes called Cause of Death because my department works every day with our Coroner so is a huge interest to me.

Cause of Death (TV Series 2022– ) ⭐ 8.9 | Documentary

1h

www.imdb.com

It's a cracking TV series but earlier this year the series did a special on over 70s who had killed people because of their bad eyesight.
One bloke was asked to read a number plate from the required distance and could only read it when he got 2 metres from the car.
What was amazing all 3 drivers were told by the opticians to inform the DVLA but obviously they didn't and this is what the Coroner was calling for, that Opticians etc should inform the DVLA on the patients behalf.
What's surprised me is sitting there watching the series me and Mrs Sexy turned to each other and said "Nothing will happen" but how wrong we were.
It's not law yet but should be.

Also they want the drink driving limit set to 22 max which I'm all for.

Completely and utterly agree.
They should have a mandatory sight test every 5 years already if that's not a thing.... Hit 70 should be once a year.
You can tell i don't read what other people post.

I've said this for a number of years since a mate of mine was almost killed by an elderly driver on a NSL road that she pulled out onto.

When she was tested by the plod she had cataracts and couldn't see clearly more than 2 metres.

I'm pretty sure I've said it before, on these forums no less but this is how it should be:

1. Eye sight tests every 5 years from date provisional is applied for with a test taken within 6 weeks of receiving provisional licence, auto-submitted by Opticians to DVSA systems
2. Any and all medical conditions that affect driving long term to be reported by your GP to DVSA, driver required to sign an acknowledgement if doctor tells them not to drive either temporarily or permanently.
3. Driver physicals from a determined age, similar to that of professional drivers currently, just maybe not as frequent
4. Cognitive testing of older drivers or drivers with a family history of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's, dementia etc. (age this starts to be determined)

 

[Resident]

Yeah friday saturday night its the boy racers who are tearing up the tarmac they're statistically the highest rate of accidents followed by the 85's and over. Targeting the over 70's is just discrimination.

Discrimination? Take yourself into the forest and have a word with yourself.

I reported my grandfather for being an unfit elderly driver at the age of 74. It wasn't an easy decision but getting in the car became terrifying and dangerous but he refused to give up driving.

He was called in for an assessment and failed every section of the testing.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Surely anyone shouldn't be driving if failed an eye test - what has age got to do with it?

 

[cuke2u]

Surely anyone shouldn't be driving if failed an eye test - what has age got to do with it?

Agreed, everyone should really have an eye test every two years anyway. However the elderly only accounted for around 10% of all casualties in collisions involving cars, this was in 2023. But young drivers (aged 17-24) are disproportionately involved in road traffic accidents, particularly fatal and serious ones.
So this is what needs to be addressed and not just pandering to incorrect public opinions.

 

[Demon]

I don't think anyone would remotely argue against more eye testing across the board, waiting until 70 and pinning it purely on this one aspect of visual acuity seems rather short sighted

 

[marl]

Anything that makes the roads safer has to be a good thing so I'm for it!

 

[CrimsonAvenger]

Agree on both the mandatory eye sight testing and the English reduction with regards to alcohol and driving.

 

[throwaway4372]

Surely anyone shouldn't be driving if failed an eye test - what has age got to do with it?

Not saying this justifies it, but:
What age has to do with it is:
Old people aren't working, therefore you can stop them driving without impacting their earning potential (and therefore tax paying potential).

Arguably they should be honest about this and make the old driver age the same as the state pension age and track it going forward.

And once they're not productive there's a motivation to want them off the road so transport is better for productive activities.

 

[Hotwired]

I don't think anyone would remotely argue against more eye testing across the board, waiting until 70 and pinning it purely on this one aspect of visual acuity seems rather short sighted

I can see good reason.

This costs money, causes disruption.

Not even worth considering to test teenagers. They've only just passed. Then it's fuzzy in the middle. At what age is there a worthwhile hit rate for disqualifying people due to undisclosed eye issues that make them unfit.

All kinds of medical checks don't happen or at least aren't expected until you've accumulated enough years, isn't this identical in logic.

 

[marl]

Another thing, I think there should be some process in place whereby Opticians and Ophthalmologists should be required to advise DVLA if someone's vision is below the level required for driving.

Similarly, the same should apply if someone has a medical condition, or is taking medication that could impair their judgement/reflexes.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

If they are going to the opticians they arent usually the ones who need targetting!

 

[Werewolf]

I can see good reason.

This costs money, causes disruption.

Not even worth considering to test teenagers. They've only just passed. Then it's fuzzy in the middle. At what age is there a worthwhile hit rate for disqualifying people due to undisclosed eye issues that make them unfit.

All kinds of medical checks don't happen or at least aren't expected until you've accumulated enough years, isn't this identical in logic.

An eye test every 5 years is not going to cause and real disruption or cost much money, most sensible people will get a test every 2-3 years, and a lot of people will get a test every year depending on advice from the optician.

All it needs is for the opticians results to get automatically submitted to the DVLA as one of three option "no problems", "needs corrective wear to drive" or "condition requires additional checks".
You already have it noted on your driving licence and at the DVLA if you had to wear glasses or contact lenses in order to pass the "can you read the numberplate" part of your driving test, so why is there an issue with checking that you can still do that 10 years down the line and on a regular basis?

It is a condition to legally drive that you are able to see, and to notify the DVLA of anything that can affect your ability to drive, with eyesight being one of the simplest and oldest of the conditions they ask about. It should be maintained, and if people are not doing it voluntarily then it needs to be enforced more actively.

As I say I've seen (pardon the pun) people who have eyesight that makes them actively dangerous to use even a mobility scooter, let alone drive using cars, I may be selfish, but I don't want to be on the road with people that cannot see clearly past the front bumper of their car.

 

[Uther]

It's a start, and I'm all for it. Should be for everyone though. I've been nearly killed by old people pulling out on me who didn't see me, and nearly killed by young people pulling out on me who were on the phone and didn't give a ****.
Not sure how you solve that one though, when the police are pretty much non existant here.

 

[Hagar]

If you think bike then you really should not miss the car, bus or lorry bearing down on you at a rate of knots.

Couriers are the worst at instant double parking and pulling into traffic without waiting for a decent space to proceed. They are usually not professional drivers so are not tested as such by an employer.

Most pensioners are tested at an opticians every two years, it's free and something to write in a diary and go to.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I need to add that the 3 Pensioners in the original post had eyesight so bad glasses wouldn't have made a difference.
These are people who should stop driving and it won't be improved by new glasses.

 

[Nasher]

I need to add that the 3 Pensioners in the original post had eyesight so bad glasses wouldn't have made a difference.
These are people who should stop driving and it won't be improved by new glasses.

Problem is they probably know they should really be driving already. But as public transport is so useless they are totally reliant on driving to do anything, get food etc. Take their licence away and they are basically stranded..

 

[Uther]

Problem is they probably know they should really be driving already. But as public transport is so useless are totally reliant on driving to do anything. Take that away and they are stuck in a village somewhere, can't get food, etc.

I live in a large village that now has a bus an hour when it turns up. The next small village with no shops has two buses a week, if they're lucky. No wonder people don't want to give up their cars.

 

[Nasher]

I live in a large village that now has a bus an hour when it turns up. The next small village with no shops has two buses a week, if they're lucky. No wonder people don't want to give up their cars.

The village my Dad lives in has 2 buses a day I think and it takes about 1.5 hours to get in to town, which is only 12ish miles away. It's not the nearest town with shops, but the only one it goes to. Pointless.

If you live in a village and don't drive, you can't have a job and are going to starve to death.

 

[Hagar]

Does anybody make an electric three wheeled cycle compliant with the law? Not a mobility scooter.

In our town there are quite a few oldies on normally aspirated bikes and trikes doing a daily shop. A three wheeler electric trike would add to the mix.

 

[Uther]

Does anybody make an electric three wheeled cycle compliant with the law? Not a mobility scooter.

In our town there are quite a few oldies on normally aspirated bikes and trikes doing a daily shop. A three wheeler electric trike would add to the mix.

Surely that would cause even more carnage?