A motoring expert has called for a radical change forcing people to relinquish their licences as soon as they hit a certain age.
Older drivers above the age of 80 should be banned from the road, one expert has said (Image: Getty)
Older drivers in their 80s should be banned from UK roads to make them safer, a motoring expert has claimed. John Kushnick, legal operations director at National Accident Helpline, has called for the Government to introduce a “maximum driving age” with over-80s in the firing line.
Changes to driving laws are expected to come in which would see motorists over 70 automatically banned from the roads if they fail compulsory eye tests.
But Kushnick would like a more radical approach, with anybody over a certain age not allowed behind the wheel regardless of how healthy they are. He highlights the risk of “rapid health deterioration” later in life.
An expert warned how elderly drivers’ health can quickly deteriorate (Image: Getty)
He said: “The necessary legal reform is straightforward. There should be a mandatory requirement for drivers to re-test after a certain age – perhaps around 70 – based on data around cognitive and physical decline. Thereafter, re-testing could occur every few years, possibly every three.
“Driving fitness should become a routine part of health assessments and everyday culture, with medical changes reported far earlier. A maximum driving age should also be introduced, likely somewhere in the 80s, due to the potential for rapid health deterioration.”
In the UK, there are no rules on when motorists have to give up their driving licence if they are fit and healthy to stay behind the wheel.
Older road users above the age of 70 must renew their driving licence every three years but can keep driving as long as they have no serious or underlying medical conditions.
Although the proposals would severely restrict the freedoms of older motorists, the plan may not be as politically sensitive as many might think. A previous Carmoola study found that 36% of road users polled believed that there should be a maximum limit.
The poll of 2,000 road users found that 11 percent of individuals were in favour of taking driving licences away from road users once they hit 70. Meanwhile, eight percent wanted even tougher rules with drivers excluded from the roads when they reached just 60 years old.
Law changes being considered include reducing the drink-driving limit in both England and Wales to be in line with Scotland’s laws, and giving people points on their licence for not wearing a seatbelt.
The move comes after an inquest into four deaths caused by drivers with failing eyesight saw a coroner call the UK’s licensing system the “laxest in Europe”.
The changes are expected to be included in a new road safety strategy set to be published by the government in the autumn.
