Overview
- Ministers are consulting on requiring formal eyesight checks at each three-year licence renewal for motorists aged 70 and over rather than relying on self-declaration.
- An Auto Express poll found 72% support for three-year tests for over-70s, with 44% strongly in favour, and 76% backing mandatory checks for drivers of all ages.
- Government figures report over-70s make up about 13% of drivers but account for roughly 24% of driver fatalities, with 6.3 million licence holders aged 70+ and around two million renewals each year.
- Current rules require drivers to read a number plate at 20 metres and to inform the DVLA if unfit to drive, but no proof of meeting the standard is required after a licence is issued.
- The consultation seeks views on who should conduct tests and how often they occur, with the wider Road Safety Strategy also exploring cognitive assessments for older drivers and minimum learning periods for learners.