Should over‑65s take a driving test refresher every 5 years?
UK drivers renew their photocard licence every 10 years until age 70, then every 3 years with a self-declaration of meeting eyesight standards and no relevant medical conditions. A 2026 government consultation proposed replacing self-declaration with mandatory eyesight tests for over-70s at each renewal to improve road safety. Public surveys show 60-70% of motorists support some form of regular reassessment for older drivers due to age-related declines in reaction times, vision and cognition, while older respondents and groups like Age UK highlight risks of isolation if licences are lost.
5 Opinions
The standard of driving from younger drivers is just as bad
Stop penalising folk for getting old.
Leave it the way it is. For some elderly their car is their only means of travel. Staying as independent as possible is important for them. Getting outside help to travel anywhere is difficult.
No... it's an unworkable policy that would completely collapse our already backlogged driving test system. I think there does need to be some element of give though, and we should be doing targeted, mandatory eyesight and medical checks at 70+ instead of blanket re-testing
I believe individual approach is required. Annual opinion from GP should decide if further medical or other testing is required. Some lost their abilities earlier and some later. BTW, 2023 data shows 121.5 drivers aged 18–24 killed per billion vehicle miles versus 60.9 for over-70s so youngsters seem to be more dangerous group (similarities in proportions for overall collisions with injuries).