Reports state that of the 41.5 million people with a full driving licence in the UK, 6.25 million are aged above 70 years.
According to media reports, elderly drivers in the UK aged 70 years and above could soon be mandated to take an eye test before being allowed to drive on public roads. A Road Safety Organisation has recently come out and criticised the current eye test requirements for older drivers, calling them out of date.
Rob Heard, founder of the Older Drivers Forum – a non-profit organisation run by the Hampshire Constabulary Road Safety Team, has stated that while other countries in Europe mandate regular eye tests, UK drivers are subjected to them only twice in their driving career; once during the driving test and the other when asked by a police officer to read a number plate 20 metres away.
The comments from Heard came after a recent incident where a 95-year-old motorist killed a mobility scooter user on a pedestrian crossing. The Senior Coroner presiding over the case also highlighted that while drivers over 70 years apply for a licence every three years, they are not required to undergo a medical check to assess their fitness to drive. The coroner further added that drivers are allowed to self-declare their health status. The coroner stated, “Without checks, a driver might be oblivious to their medical condition, posing a serious threat to other road users.”
Reports state that of the 41.5 million people with a full driving licence in the UK, 6.25 million are aged above 70 years. Also, this number is said to be increasing at the rate of 2,50,000 per year, and one condition they are all likely to share is failing eyesight.
Heard mentioned that as people age, their distance and peripheral vision deteriorate. This causes a decline in their eyes’ ability to adapt quickly to changing light. Reports also state that while a 70-year-old driver is no more likely to have an accident than a younger driver, a person aged 85 is four times more likely to be the cause of a crash rather than a victim of one.
Keyword: UK could make eye tests mandatory for older drivers