The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has issued an alert to Britain’s growing army of pensioner motorists.

The government agency says people aged 70 or over who let their driving licence expire rather than getting it renewed could find themselves off the road – and in trouble with the law.

The alert on the DVLA’s official X account reminded drivers that once they reach 70, they must renew their licence every three years – ideally online for a renewal delivered within a week.

Failure to renew could leave older drivers without valid documentation – and in breach of the Road Traffic Act, potentially exposing them to fines of up to £1,000 and penalty points.

The reminder comes amid mounting concern about accidents involving older drivers – a trend that has reignited debate on whether the UK’s current system sufficiently protects other motorists.

According to the Department for Transport’s 2024 older driver factsheet, car collisions involving drivers aged 70 and over accounted for about 10% of all casualties from car collisions. In the same year, 24% of all car driver fatalities were drivers aged 70 or over.

The total number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties from collisions involving at least one older car driver was 3,300 in 2024. Within that KSI total, 1,224 were older drivers themselves.

Under current UK law, drivers over 70 do not have to take a driving test again – they simply renew their licence and declare they meet eyesight and health standards.

But Transport officials are now consulting on proposals to strengthen those checks, including mandatory vision tests at renewal after a string of high-profile fatal crashes involving elderly motorists.

A Department for Transport consultation launched in January calls for ditching the present self-declaration system and introducing compulsory eye checks for older drivers, in a bid to curb risks associated with age-related sight decline.

What drivers over 70 must do now:

Apply online for renewal at GOV.UK – it’s free and your licence should arrive within a week. Details can be found here.

You can still drive while your application is processed, so long as you have medical support, your previous licence was valid and you haven’t been disqualified.