Labour has been urged to introduce a new 10-year driving test rule that will impact older motorists across the UK.
Older drivers could be affected by calls for new road testing (Image: Getty)
A widower who lost their husband in a devastating car crash has urged Labour to introduce a new rule that could affect all drivers, including older motorists. Sarah Massey, 58, has called for rules forcing drivers to retake their driving test every 10 years to stay behind the wheel.
Sarah explained the new rule would ensure motorists are “capable” of staying safe on the roads and could save lives. Sarah’s husband, Ian Massey, died after a car collided with his motorbike on the A5 in Leicestershire back in December 2015.
There are calls for drivers to face a new driving test every 10 years (Image: Getty)
An elderly driver was behind the wheel of the car, which was travelling in the wrong direction at the time of the collision. Sarah has now called for all drivers to be subject to new road assessments every decade, and older drivers will naturally come under the spotlight.
She told the BBC: “People pass their driving test and they can be driving 50, 60 years and nobody at all bothers to ask about their competency. It would be phenomenal if we could all be retested every 10 years or so because nobody checks to see are you capable of driving this machine.
“If she [the driver] would have been retested regularly for her driving abilities… he [her husband] probably would be alive today, if her driving licence had been revoked.
The Government is looking at a major overhaul of road safety rules, with over-70s likely to face new mandatory eyesight tests. Officials have not ruled out the potential for cognitive testing for older drivers later down the line.
The Massey family said they did welcome the Government’s new ideas but suggested that the current measures did not go far enough. A Parliament petition calling for mandatory driving retests for motorists above the age of 70 is also running, with the poll set to close in May.
Campaigners said that introducing new checks on older drivers “will make the road safer for everyone,” including motorcyclists, pedestrians and car users.
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “This was a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with Ian’s loved ones.
“We know driving is important for older people’s independence, but this must be balanced with safety. All drivers have a legal responsibility to report medical conditions to the DVLA.”
