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

Yep This website is full of outrage when the DWP does it

In this case, removing the licence is also helping, and potentially saving the lives of, other people.

As long as the state pension age doesnt get any higher and they arent expected to get to work because cant have it both ways.

of course there will finally come a solution to this with driverless cars......

nope, they will be looking at the contents of the letter and the reason for the letter.

I think we shoukd have mandatory retests every 10 years/every 3 years over 70, but I recognise that woukd come with huge costs, and the system is currently struggling with fitting in driving tests as it is, so no government could go for that at the moment; and it wouldn't be my top priority if I were chancellor and we suddenly gained a few spare billion down the back of the sofa. (Plus on an entirely personal level, I am quite glad I don't have to retake my test, as I really struggled with nerves because of having the examiner sitting next to me.)

In any case, it is not at it is now. I agree that if it were clear that the result could be that the DVLA is advised, some people who should wouldn't opt to do the test. But it still ought to be clear that a possible outcome is that in the case of poor results, the DVLA will be informed and they could decide to revoke the licence.

I also know that this could be printed across any form in giant red letters, and some people still wouldn't absorb the message.

This is a wild take. This was a driving assessment in light of what sounds like cognitive decline recommended by a GP who wouldn't recommend it if they didn't suspect it could be an issue. You want someone not fit to drive to be allowed to keep driving while continuing today ecline?

This wasn't a skills test like a normal driving test, this was a check of how a health condition is affecting driving capability

This is a bit of a crazy way of looking at things. Let's not ban guns because people will murder with knives instead.

Taking the specific case, speeding is reckoned to be a factor in 30% of road accidents, so it appears there is significant scope for cognitive impairment and poor vision to take large % chunks out of the remaining 70%.

And yes of course that number of tests could be implemented if the government employed and trained up the right people. Or even implemented VR testing. It just doesn't want to.

Agree.
And there's not a million miles between driving when you are no longer fit to do so because of the aging process and driving when you are not fit to do so because you have been drinking.
Most people don't condone drink driving but older people get a pass because they're elderly?
It must be a real blow to get to the stage where you can no longer drive safely but if people aren't safe on the road, then they shouldn't be on the road.

I don't believe anyone other than the DVLA can revoke a licence, as has probably already been stated many times on here.

Other organisations/people can only write to the DVLA and ask for someones licence to be revoked, and whether the DVLA will revoke depends very much on who is doing the writing.

I don't know why anyone is positing things like "mandatory testing every five years". It should be fairly obvious that the system has nowhere near the capacity to handle that volume of tests and it's hard to see how it ever could.

I'm not sure why it would improve road safety anyway. How would retests stop people speeding or using their phone?

Take screen shots of all the details and terms and conditions and tell your relative to appeal the decision based on the fact that no where does it say the assessor has the power to revoke a driving licence.

Surely if anyone thinks someone is unfit to drive they should stop them.

I'm pretty sure if someone hit someone and went to court and the court asked them whether they had done any assement they would say yes, and they told me I was fit to drive. Wouldn't necessarily get them off, but might be helpful in building supporting evidence. So if they think he is unfit to drive they should report him.

Also I think his doctor probably did him a favour in the respect he could have said no driving and wrote to the DVLA but instead suggested a proper assessment instead.

If the only outcome of the assessment is "you are OK to drive" then there wouldn't be much point having it.

What would the person have done if they knew in advance that they may have had a negative report to the DVLA ? No win situation for them if you game this outcome. Either a) they would have gone anyway, and been found unfit anyway or b) not gone, and still be an unfit driver on the road.

I do agree with most though that there needs to be a more standardised and official test for this.

I would expect tips to be given and another test booked for a few months later given there is no where it says the licence should be revoked

If they are revoking licences when it doesn’t say this could be the outcome then I would appeal the decision.

The whole traffic and road safety relies on proper signage. No proper signage and you get fined then appeal and take them to court if need be (done that a few times and won)

Seems like they are starting to drop the ball on paperwork.

Think it is pretty dim to think they can do anything they like and expect no one to appeal and sue for wrongful revoking of their licence

Companies and government agencies don’t seem to understand that just because they assume that something is obvious, without it being specified in writing then it doesn’t exist.

As previously mentioned unless he thought he was up for a good driving award why else would he have been having a driving test?

I think that informed consent is an important principle. To me its in the same box, although not identical, to a surgeon removing additional organs during an operation without consent "because I am helping the person, its what is best for them"
Having said that, as i keep saying, we don't know the whole story here.

Stopping someone driving unsafely IS helping them

I agree. If a test is needed it should be administered fairly and openly, people shouldn't be tricked into doing it by being told it's just to help them.

this and also where are the doctors coming from, also who will fund this. If its going to be mandatory, I'd also like to see it extended to all drivers of all ages.....

It's very difficult to get a test date right now.

Not sure how the system could manage everyone being retested every five years. Where are the instructors and examiners coming from?

The test is specifically to see if people should still be driving. It offers an opportunity for them to prove that they are. The alternative is that the GP writes to the DVLA and recommends that the licence is revoked due to unfitness to drive.

There might be better solutions but that shouldn't include letting people continue to drive who shouldn't be on the road.

Irrespective of how " obvious " it is to you or should be to others it's not acceptable for the website to be as misleading as it is. It's all chirpy and we are here to help you. That's really disingenuous of them.

And I say that as somebody who is currently not driving because I don't believe it would be safe even though the doctor has confirmed I am fine to go back to driving. We all have a huge personal responsibility to decide when and if we should drive. Not only as we get too old but also if we are too tired or injured or otherwise unwell or distracted.

But organizations also have a responsibility to be honest and transparent and not to create palpably misleading websites

There has not been an immediate revocation. I do agree though that the OP doesn't have or isn't telling us all the story.

I hope that in the near future, these assessments become mandatory. We should also be having medicals too. HGV, bus, train drivers and pilots have to have them. Every 5 years up to the age of 65 and annually thereafter (60 for pilots).
What did the relative expect from an assessment? "We think your driving is awful/dangerous and suggest you have some more lessons but we can't force you to do this? Now on your way and try not to drive into anyone". I think it possible that something was said in the assessment that the relative has chosen not to disclose because something serious must have happened for an immediate revocation.

They are there to help you! If you realise or are told that you're not fit to drive, taking away your licence is the best way to ensure you don't endanger yourself by driving. Some people erroneously believe they are safe to drive despite evidence to the contrary, causing danger to themselves and others.