Alec Samuels on older drivers—are they safe?
Today there are many more older drivers (for this purpose defined as over 70) than before, well over four million, and representing a bigger proportion of all drivers. Every three years older drivers submit a renewal form to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and answer the question: ‘Have you been told by a consultant or eye specialist that you have a problem with the field of vision?’ There is no legal obligation to have an eye test. They make a self-assessment, and answer that they do not have a problem. They may be lying, reckless, mistaken, or simply ignorant. Understandably, they wish to retain their licence. The DVLA can ask for an eye test, and for the result to be reported to them, but rarely does so.
The potential defects of older drivers are well known. They are slow to react, slow to meet a challenge, less confident. They may be under the influence of medication. Their physical frailty makes them more vulnerable to injury.
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