To think ROSPA should make it clear that Older Driver Assessments might result in a loss of license?

Yes good point
as someone whose worn glasses from my primary school years i suppose I hadn’t considered people not may realise they have failing eyesight.

It is possible and not just if you are old and difficult. Old story now but some 40 years ago I went to get a sight test at the opticians simply because my late husband wanted reading glasses and said to me I should get a test as well. I had passed my driving test some 5 years earlier (late learner) and of course passed the sight test at that point. Optician did all the usuals and then said to me "can I see your driving glasses glasses?" I told him I didn't wear them and he then showed me the difference between my corrected and uncorrected vision. This was in my early/mid 30s after passing the driving test and therefore the sight test AND having driving lessons some 5 years earlier. I genuinely had not noticed any difference. He reassured me that I was nowhere near dangerous but said that I wouldn't pass the driving test sight check.

Thanks for that
just reading those eyesight requirements I’m amazed some people don’t meet them as they are tested whilst wearing glasses or contacts.

The whole thing seems to me rock meets hard place.

If they assess someone and find they are unfit, surely there is some obligation on them to report ?

If however, the person being assessed is told that the assessment may lead to them having their licence revoked then they may not take the assessment in the first place.

Thus the only situation that someone might undertake the assessment is under threat that another party (for example their GP) insists that they take the assessment or they will report them instead (I don't know whether this is/isn't allowed).

Roll on a better/more formalised method/process for assessment if you ask me.

its currently under consultation which ends in may.
Check your damn facts
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers

Godmum

The DVLA rules are changing

There will be no self certification soon

It's been advertised on the Internet for some time

which is why I think we don't have the full story.....

However, as with many things

People drive with no car insurance

People drive without sticking to the speed limits

People drive with poor eye sight

People drive on medication or alcohol

People drive when they are banned

no they don't they still self certify. Check your facts.

the DVLA and the DFT are not connected to RoSPA

Let me put it this way

To drive legally over 70 a person needs to meet the minimum vision requirements & be of good health.

People over 70 can no longer self certify to renew their licence every 3 years

They now have to provide proof that they are capable to drive.

So he should in that case definitely be on the road - even if unsafe.catch yourselves on!

Phoned my friend earlier to ask him how his yearly diabetes eye assesment went today. Absoloutely fine. No deterioration

I totally disagree. I cannot think of any other context where this would be ok.

The way you get around the fact that a driver may not do the assessment if they think they might lose their licence, is by making it a legal requirement to do one if the GP or optician suggests it. And if they don't do it within a certain period, they get a fine and their licence is suspended until they do.

Well I agree absolutely - but that is what the website says:
Driving Mobility Centre Assessments
Driving Mobility Centres have specially trained clinicians and Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) to assess how a person’s condition or disability affects their driving and what help, including car adaptations, will enable them to continue to drive safely. This includes a medical assessment and an in-car driving assessment in a dual controlled car.

It then links to a separate website for the detailed driving assessment via 'driving mobility' and that says:

Introduction
A driving assessment is different from a driving test. It is designed to review your driving and you will be given an honest opinion of your skills and ability. People that choose to take a driving assessment do so for a variety of reasons:

You may want to investigate vehicle modification options because of a physical disability such as a limb amputation or, for example, because you have become less able following a stroke
You may be seeking confirmation that you are still able to drive safely following a recent diagnosis of a medical condition, or a condition such as dementia
You may want reassurance as you get older and your reactions have slowed a little
Your assessor(s) understand that you may not have had anyone to check or observe your driving for a number of years and they are very skilled at putting you at ease to ensure you perform at your best.

What to expect
You should allow approximately three hours for the assessment, although actual driving time will more than likely last about 50 minutes. This is to allow you to move through each stage of the assessment at your own pace. A typical assessment will consist of the following:

An introduction where the assessment team will ask you about your basic medical and driving history and will talk about your hopes and expectations. This will take place at the Mobility Centre
A basic physical assessment to understand what limbs and joints work well, or less well. Some Centres may use a mock-up of a car that is designed to measure physical ability and strength, along with reaction speeds
Some paper-based tasks that measure cognitive ability, such as memory or attention
Visual test(s) specific to driving.
A drive lasting approximately 50 minutes
Return to the Centre for a summary de-brief and the opportunity to ask questions
After your visit, the assessors will write a comprehensive report which will be sent to your home address.

I know it may seem obvious that an assessment that finds someone is unfit to drive would have their license revoked, but I do think that what is on these sites is at best misleading. I'm not arguing with the outcome of someone losing their license but if the information they're given clearly indicates that the purpose is to help you continue to drive, and that the report is for the driver, it's not unreasonable to be shocked and angry when that turns out to be completely untrue.

Thats a great post Thankyou

Yes I thought it was you Jennifer but didn’t want to get shot down if I was wrong
Your point is extremely valid and supports the findings in my post above

That might have been me. I commented my friend cannot type fast enough and isnt computer savvy so i had to fill in an online medical form for him as the fields kept timing out before he could finish

Following on from posters comments re using computers to complete the test
and this test does have a time limit so is even more relevant

Heres an investigation carried out re whether the use of computers discriminated against those who don’t use them.

‘ Online driving cognitive tests can introduce bias, and in some cases, act as a form of discrimination against individuals who do not use computers or have low digital literacy

While these digital tools are often designed to be accessible and efficient, they frequently rely on skills—such as navigating interfaces, using a mouse, or responding quickly to on-screen stimuli—that are not directly related to driving ability but rather to computer familiarity.
Wiley +3

Evidence of Bias Against Non-Users

• Performance Discrepancies:Studies have found significant differences in test results based on "computer familiarity." Individuals with less experience (using computers "some" rather than "frequently") performed significantly worse on key domains like reaction time, complex attention, and cognitive flexibility, regardless of their actual driving capability.
• Technical Anxiety: Older adults, who are more likely to have limited experience with technology, often face "technology anxiety," which can hinder their performance and engagement with the test, leading to potential false-positive results (being labeled "unsafe" when they are not).
• User Interface Variations:Performance on these tests can be affected by the type of device used (e.g., tablet vs. desktop) and the user's familiarity with that specific interface.
• Wiley +4

Counterarguments and Context

• Good Validity for Users: Research on specific tools, such as the DriveABLE assessment, shows a strong correlation between in-office computerized tests and on-road driving ability, often acting as a high-accuracy, objective measure.
• Designed for Simplicity: Some developers argue their tests are designed to be intuitive, requiring no specialized computer skills.
• Practice Effects: Studies indicate that even when initial scores are low due to unfamiliarity, repeated use (practice) can improve performance, although this can also mask genuine cognitive decline.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov) +4

The "Digital Divide" and Accessibility
The shift towards online assessments is generally driven by the need for better access to testing in rural areas and faster, cheaper, and more frequent monitoring for older drivers. However, this shift risks excluding those who are not digitally savvy, creating a "digital divide" where individuals are penalised for a lack of technology access or skill. ‘

So it seems that the only way for these online tests not to be biased is for anyone taking them to undertake significant practice ??
So every day for many many years to be equal to all others.??

There needs to be alternate ways to test that neither give an advantage to the computer savvy nor a disadvantage to the computer illiterate
As another poster commented, until all things are equal, losing one’s licence through this test could well, and should, end up in court

They’re connected to the Dept for Transport. Their website was funded by the DfT. It says so on their website. The DVLA is an executive agency of the DfT.

Also, their website says ‘Some physical or medical conditions must, by law, be reported to the DVLA (or the DVA if you live in Northern Ireland). Other conditions do not need to be reported, but may still affect your driving.’ It’s not a mad stretch of the imagination that they might take it upon themselves to report it, rather than trust someone who may be unwilling to give up their right to drive.

Also as a parent who does the school run largely on foot and has to contend with parents and grandparents parked on pavements and beeping at the crossing lady I assure you I am not on the side of driving parents in rush hour

Yes, people of any age can be bad drivers or a holes. Of course they can. Believe me I am there feeling every moment of devastation alongside people when they are no longer medically for to drive and I live through their anger and disbelief and shooting the messenger regularly and I can tell you elderly people tend to wb the most abusive in that situation I have found.

If you see a road rage incident report it obviously, same with aggressive driving, I certainly would.

However there is no denying the existence of cognitive decline and it's impact on driving capabilities. Its really silly to stay saying 'well young people can drive badly too' no one is suggesting otherwise. However there does come a point if you live to old age where driving is no longer safe.for you and others

Even if there is too much traffic on the roads, it's far fetched to think there's some secret plan to weed out elderly drivers. Everybody should want roads to be safer, and that can mean anything from preventing drunken driving, making people wear seat belts and stopping people who have poor eyesight or slow reactions from getting behind the wheel. (The latter two just happen to be more likely in elderly drivers.)

He was driving perfectly fine. He wasnt driving hesitantly There is also a dashcam in the car. And recently i filmed one of these drivers on my phone. People like you who think its all the fault of older drivers and parents on the school run can do no wrong have left us with no choice. he was not driving under the speed limit or driving hesitantly.

Oh and the road rage incident i watched from my bedroom window right outside the school involved two of the parents. Not a pensioner in sight.

I know A LOT of young, working people through my work who have lost their licence due to vision or neurological conditions and it absolutely can mean they lose their livelihood and yet if they are medically unfit to drive that's just the way it is.