To think that too many people are in denial that they should not drive?

@Onomatofear well yes, I would still report them even if it meant we had no where to live. In fact I would take their keys away. I would feel immensely guilty if they had run over a child because I did not put a stop to it.

@Onomatofear you are absolutely right.

This is one area where AI will help us as we age. It cant come quickly enough tbh because each generation is living longer so years with poor mobility and other types of ill health are very likely, yet everyone will want their independence for as long as possible.

Can I suggest you ask your dad to try taking some NAC supplrment. It might not help but Ive heard some fabulous results esp about mobility and imflammation.

I agree. There should be some re-testing, at least of eyesight and reaction times.

So simple but effective! I hope other forces will follow through.

I would point out that he also had a full medical and an eye test annually. The other reason he gave up was that he would be bound to be blamed for any accident at his age, even if it really wasn't his fault.

Yes, you also have to reapply every 3 years in England too. The trouble is everyone thinks they are fine (just look at Biden) and you only have to tick boxes. I am over 70 and I would welcome being retested, but given that there is a huge backlog in driving tests I don’t think this is possible. What I think would be a good idea is compulsory eyesight tests and reaction time testing. I have yearly eye tests.

I've lost count of the times I've seen an older person get out of their car very slowly and hobble off with the aid of a Zimmer frame/stick/ crutches. If they are that doddery, how can they possibly react in time if they have to?
Having said that, my old dad was still driving at quite an advanced age. But his reactions were fine, he was physically and mentally very well, and it was his failing eyesight that did for his driving licence.

That's ridiculous. If you have a parent without a diagnosis of anything that would mean they have to stop how would you go about it?
It's not enforceable. If my husband decided tomorrow that I shouldn't drive should he be allowed to stop me.

Maybe some sort of easily administered reaction test (from about 50), a score below 'x' means you have to take a test
Can you imagine the havoc this would cause? People aged 50 still have jobs and kids. Imagine the immense anxiety of having to take a test, and if you fail then you lose your job because you can’t get there any more, which means you can’t pay your bills and mortgage, can’t take your kids to school, can’t look after elderly parents. It would be a disaster.

There was an absolutely tragic case of an elderly driver mounting the pavement in north London that killed a young mum with her little boy. The dad has started petitions around retesting elderly drivers....this has got to stop

If I was to propose two simple actions

1. Compulsory eye tests for all drivers, including things like peripheral vision with regular retests
2. At the moment if a Medical Professional advises someone not to drive thats it. I suggest that there should be a form given to anyone who should not be driving CC the DVLA and thats it for your driving. No need to say why to preserve confidentiality for non drivers

I work in a dementia service. It is terrifying the number of people we see who are still driving when they come to us. We've had people referred to us after being found driving the wrong way on a motorway.
I've seen on road driving assessment reports, terrifying.
It's hugely difficult for families. Often they have tried to intervene but until a doctor diagnoses and emphatically tells the person they aren't allowed to drive they can't make them stop.

The issue is that we’ve created a society where you need to be able to drive.

Shops are at out of town retail parks. Family members live far away. Everyone has to work because of the high cost of living and price of houses, so there are no younger family members available to drive the elderly and disabled. If you’re young enough to work, you need a car otherwise you’re restricted to only applying for city centre jobs within 5-10 miles. Ditto if you have kids and need to take them to school etc.

It’s not surprising that people keep driving when they shouldn’t. Take me as an example. I’m disabled and in an ideal world I wouldn’t be driving. But all of my family members work so there’s nobody to drive me.

Without a car I’d be housebound. I couldn’t pop to the shop for a couple of food items because there are no local shops any more. I couldn’t go to the doctor or hospital, or visit my elderly gran, or take my child to school (the school we were allocated is too far to walk). I couldn’t get to work (most of the jobs seem to be on out of town industrial estates). I couldn’t even take my child to the park because there are none within walking distance.

Honestly I don’t blame people who keep driving when they shouldn’t. What else are they supposed to do?

In a nearby village a few years back an elderly man ricocheted off a bunch of parked cars and ploughed through the window of a cafe on Christmas Eve, killing a woman and injuring many others. He apparently had a ‘funny turn’. It was reported after the court case that he is still driving.

My dad is in great shape for 81 and completely healthy and independent, but his car is way too powerful and he drives at speeds (especially on motorways) that are far beyond his capability. His reaction times are much slower than he would ever admit, plus he’s deaf in one ear and has cataracts - it’s frankly terrifying. I’m bracing myself for a very difficult and potentially combative conversation.

Totally agree that everyone over 75 should be assessed every few years - it’s insane that people are allowed to continue driving in perpetuity after a single test at 18.

I along with his neighbours "report" my dad to DVLA on a regular basis. It's not as easy to get Somone to stop if they don't want too.

They justjú send him a letter ... And he ticks the box that says I feel I am safe to drive... Then continues, driving to fast to close no awareness of anything around him at all Parkinson is getting worse and his legs are freezing now so he cannot move them for a few seconds... Sounds like a driver you want on the roads right.

He says he doesn't care if he kills someone, his driving is fine, it's the young kids that are the problem.

if I take/hide his keys he would just get another set.

I have told every medical person at every appointment I have been to with him he is NOT SAFE to drive ... GP just told him to "stay local". Consultant told him he will know when he should stop, all say they can't do anything to make him stop.

I am at a total loss what to do, and dread a phone call or knock on the door that he has been in an accident and killed someone.

My DD narrowly escaped being hit by an elderly driver who hit the accelerator instead of break. She smashed into multiple cars. My DD was so lucky - she managed to leap out the way.

My dad decided to give up driving and last year we just took my father in law's car away. It's very hard but you have to make these decisions.

"it's even more difficult to report your own parent"

Say that line again after your parent has maimed or killed someone with their drivingf

My dad was still driving until a couple of years ago. I can tell you it was terrifying! It took him a long time to accept his driving years were over. He'd been driving since he was 17 and he hated giving up that independence. I can understand it.

Some of these stories are horrifying. I wish the police would also start charging the enabling relatives when their relatives kill people with their dangerous driving.

I agree. While cases such as OP and others have mentioned are shocking, and yes, some older people shouldn't be driving, there are a lot of others who are perfectly competent. Where I live people have to renew their licence at 75, 80, and then every 2 years after than. To do so you need a medical certificate. The doctor can suggest you do an on-road test if they have concerns. Boy racers on the other hand .....

My late DF had only one accident in his life, in his mid-80s, when a young man drove through a Give Way sign because "he didn't know there was a GW there" (aren't you supposed to look?). DF was still driving at 89, right up until not long before his death, perfectly well.