To think that all drivers should be made to resit tests

[DoublyTroubly]

Given how bad some of the drivers I see on the road are (especially but not always older drivers) I think that everyone should be made to sit a light-touch test every 5 years. If you can afford to drive then you can afford to pay £40ish to take a test, it would ensure everyone kept up to date with the latest driving rules and have the added bonus of employing more driving test examiners. If you're not good enough at driving to pass a test then surely you're not good enough to be on the streets!

So, AIBU or is this a no-brainer?

[FoxesOnSocks]

Logistically it's a non-runner but yes I think you're right.

It's give a lot of people quite a shock too: so many people think everyone else on the road bar them are 'shit drivers'.

[Mishmashpotatoes]

That would only stand to make the current test waiting times even more ridiculous. But I do agree with you, I think after say 70 they should get tested every other year.

[eyebrowsonfleek]

I think eye sight tests should be compulsory every 5 years perhaps?

[MackerelOfFact]

Yeah, I've always thought this. I'd say every 10 years, not five though.

I think it's odd that you need to renew your passport every 10 years, when you're unlikely to have changed identity, yet once you pass your driving test you're free to drive for life, no matter how much the roads/vehicles/traffic/laws etc change.

[MoreCoffeeNow]

I think a better plan would be that anyone having 6 or more points on their licence should have to do a refresher course, regardless of age.

Proven disregard for the rules is a far better sign of a poor driver than a birth certificate.

[DoublyTroubly]

I don't see why it would be a non-runner logically

It shouldn't make test waiting times any longer. It would just mean training up a lot more instructers and possibly investing in additional infrastructure, all of which would be paid for by the people taking the test and would create more jobs

I'm actually talking about every 5 years for everyone and more often for over 70's

[MackerelOfFact]

Plus of course any health, sight or cognitive issues that might appear.

[Sirzy]

Eye tests should be compulsory every 12 months with a copy sent to th dvla.

I would love to see retests but logistically I can't see that ever working.

[DoublyTroubly]

Only testing people with at least 6 points wouldn't pick up drivers that are crap because they haven't got behind a wheel for 10 years and have completely lost their nerve or those that drive very badly with no regard for others but don't speed / go through red lights (the only things you are likely to be picked up on unless a policeman happens to spot you at the wrong time)

[lovelyupnorth]

Would agree. One of the best driving tests I've done was a two day emergency response course (blue light). It raise everyone's game if they had to understand what to do on the wrong side of the road going through a red light. Raised your awareness of your every day skills.

Also found the speed awareness course to be really interesting and useful.

There should be some retesting looking at motorway and other advanced driving skills.

[DoublyTroubly]

I'm shocked by some of the drivers that I know that don't even know the national speed limit or the difference between a dual and single carriage way. Remember that mini roundabouts were only introduced in the 70's and a lot of people have been driving since before then and don't seem to understand the "give way to the right" rules!

[DoublyTroubly]

Case in point, my BIL was driving me the other day and couldn't understand why his sat nav was saying that the road limit was 60mph when we were on a national speed limit road and there were 2 lanes. Hence me having to explain the difference between a dual carriage way and a road with 2 lanes each way!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

But there were roundabouts before the 70's weren't there?

[MoreCoffeeNow]

or those that drive very badly with no regard for others

But those are more likely to be young drivers, in my experience. You don't see many older drivers undertaking on motorways or going through red lights as they change.

The statistics don't support your view on older drivers.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24204489

[sonlypuppyfat]

My uncle went for a sight test, the optician said how did you get here, my uncle said he'd driven the optician told him he couldn't drive home because he was nearly blind. It's scary to think how many drivers are about with such poor vision

[FoxesOnSocks]

Bad driving in youth is down to speed, bad driving in the older driver is down to lack of it.

What retesting would show up is where people don't indicate, use the right lanes, recognise the 'silly and pointless' rules of the road

[FoxesOnSocks]

*and less speed equals less severe or fatal outcomes, so younger drivers aren't poorer drivers really.

[PeachBellini123]

Completley understand your viewpoint. But the test is very expensieve surely it would be punishing those on lower/no incomes? Many people are reliant on cars for work/caring responsibilities - how would they get extra money to pay for a test every 5 or so years.

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

I think a driving skills assessment would be better than an actual 'test', especially for older people. My dad was driving incredibly dangerously from his mid 50s - he was often pulled up by other drivers, asking if he was pissed, because he was weaving all over the road. He'd often run red lights, and he'd be speeding more often than not.

We found out last year that his terrible driving and poor coordination were a direct result of Huntington's disease, and his licence was immediately revoked by the DVLA - Huntington's is actually listed on the driving licence application form as a neurological disease that MUST be declared. Of course, we didn't know til last year, but I firmly believe that if he'd had to sit a compulsory assessment at the age of 60 perhaps (he was 71 when he lost his licence), there's no way he'd have been allowed on the road, with or without a diagnosis.

[SpaceDinosaur]

morecoffee other drivers wouldn't be able to undertake if the car they were manoeuvring around was in the correct lane.

I utterly despair of "middle lane hogs" who pootle along in the middle lane of the motorway or the right hand lane of a duel carriage way with utterly no regard for the speed of other traffic. They are dangerous.

[mollie123]

doubly
Remember that mini roundabouts were only introduced in the 70's and a lot of people have been driving since before then and don't seem to understand the "give way to the right" rules!
that is not correct.
roundabouts have been around since before the 70s and we all learned to give way to the right
mini roundabouts are the curse of the devil because they are 'mini'

[Genvonklinkerhoffen]

What worries me a bit is the number of drivers who have "grandfather" rights to drive all sorts of vehicles. I was towing my horse behind a horse lorry doing between 15 & 20 mph on an A road. Lots of cars overtaking in awful places because she was driving so slowly, I didn't see her check her wing mirrors once! I was astounded.

Ended up parked next to her, a lady of about 50 who apologised for driving so slowly. I asked if there was a problem with her lorry, she said "no, I'm just nervous". I was I spent loads of money training for and taking a test to drive a trailer she could just jump in this lorry and drive around, she was a total danger and completely oblivious to it.

[Cheerybigbottom]

I agree it's a logistical nightmare, but it is needed. Also it should be law for doctors to inform dvla of a patients inability to drive rather than be up to the patients. It was with difficulty we got FIL to stop driving because he's absolutely not fit for it but he didn't care, it was convenient. He's only stopped because my husband refuses to fix his now decrepit car and he can't afford another. These drivers are a serious danger.

[Careforadrink]

An eye test should be compulsory most definitely. It's scary how poorly some drivers can see.

[LarrytheCucumber]

I have been driving up and down the A1 recently and have seen a lot of bad driving, but most of it was by people who appeared to be in the 20 to 40 age group (including two women in a Zafira who were in the outside lane for miles despite the inside lane being clear. When people undertook the passenger smiled and waved!)
Obviously this could be because fewer over 70s use the A1, but I think it is unfair to pick on one section of the population. Near us (country area) the majority of fatalities are young men showing off, misjudging bends etc.