Should over 60s have to retake their driving test?
Monday 19th October 2020
What are the current UK regulations?
Currently, when a driver reaches the age of 70 in the UK they must renew their licence if they wish to continue driving. Drivers must then renew their licence every three years from this point. This is in place to protect drivers, pedestrians and cyclists from potential incidents as eyesight and health conditions can all be affected by age. However, there is no law to say that a driver needs to retake their test at any age.
Who should retake their practical driving test?
Whilst some drivers believe that this is reasonable, others believe that this is not enough of a preventative measure and that drivers should also be required to retake their practical driving test in order to renew their licence.
We surveyed 500 UK drivers to find out their opinion on the current renewal age and discovered that many young drivers believe that drivers over 60 should have to retake their test.
Survey results
Millennials v Baby Boomers
The overall outcome of the survey revealed that the UK is generally split - with 45% answering ‘yes’ when asked if they believe drivers over the age of 60 should have to retake their test, and 55% answering ‘no’.
Of those who answered ‘yes’, 41% also stated that drivers should then retake their test again every five years. Surprisingly, 17% said that they believe driving tests should be retaken annually after the age of 60.
The survey indicated a big difference when broken down by age. An overwhelming 64% of millennial respondents (aged 18-24), said that they felt drivers over 60 should retake their test. In comparison, just 19% of drivers over 55 agreed with this.
Added risk
There are valid reasons for concern regarding older drivers as health conditions, eyesight, hearing loss and response times can all be affected by age.
We asked younger drivers whether they had been in a car accident involving a driver over 60, with 13% of respondents saying that they had experienced this. Out of these drivers, over half (53%), stated that the other driver was at fault.
While that statistic might not be high enough to be daunting, it should still be a cause for concern and could be a valid reason for considering a law that requires older drivers to prove their competence on the road
Current Laws
When questioned about their awareness of the current laws regarding driving licence renewal, almost 40% stated that they weren’t aware that drivers over 70 currently need to renew their licence.
Again, there was a big difference between ages. Over half (51%) of millennials were unaware of the current licence renewal laws and in comparison, just 8% of drivers over 65 also said that they weren’t aware that they would soon need to renew their licence. While this statistic is low, it highlights the lack of awareness around this law amongst drivers.
Are there concerns for older drivers?
All drivers should be aware of the issues that can arise as we get older. There is no denying that physical health can be affected by age, which can then impact driving ability. It’s important to be alert about changes to things like eye-sight, hearing loss, and reaction times. You should contact the DVLA if there are any changes to your physical health such as diabetes or neurological conditions.
As long as you are sensible about your health, there is nothing to say you will be unable to remain a highly competent driver for many years. All you need to remember is to renew your licence every three years after you turn 70.
As well as renewing your licence, regularly maintaining your vehicle can also ensure your car is safe for driving. Book in for a full or interim service with us at your local Formula One Autocentre, or contact us to find out more.