It should be mandatory to retake a driving test again age 70 and every five years after that

I reckon they would just focus on how to pass the test again. What we need is a dickhead detector test..

I agree. 70 might be pushing it, but 75 absolutely.

Maybe you should go for a sort of assessment at 70 and if you don't get above a certain standard then you must retake your test.

You do realise that some 70 year olds could still be working or live somewhere where public transport is not an option.

IME a large part of the problem is people driving around with no licence, no insurance. It is far too easy. A child at my DC's school was killed by a driver with no licence or insurance. The parent is a member of the local branch of a charity/pressure group for victims and relatives of traffic incidents. It seems to be the same story in many of the cases.

this precisely.

I'd vote for that one and not just for driving.

A better option would be for everyone to have an assessment (not a test) when you renew your licence (as you do every 10 years) to highlight any bad habits. Let’s be honest no one of any age is a perfect driver despite what they think.

And therein lies the problem. No consequences for aggressive, dangerous driving and an admission of lack of knowledge of understanding of the highway code, followed by threats and violent behaviour towards the innocent victim you have injured and whose car you have written off. Just off you go and keep on driving.

That's up to them. We moved in order not to risk getting into that situation. Lucky we did, my DH became epileptic 2 years later and lost his licence.

There are also things called taxis.

Wow, @LoudWriter had better make hay while the sun shines. Looking at her relatives, she's going to become gaa gaa young.

The issue with a black box for those over 80, is it seems they are driving steadily. What’s actually happening is they are pulling out on other traffic, forcing others to take evasive action.

dash cam with footage sent into be analysed

Of course there are taxis and yes it’s up to them they live, however often property is more difficult in major towns and cities and people may not be able to afford to move there. For some being able to drive is a lifeline. Rather than focussing on elderly drivers, as I said earlier everyone should have to do an assessment when they renew their licence. If you’re confident you’re a perfect driver then it shouldn’t be a problem, but I do believe none of us are perfect.

That's up to them. We moved in order not to risk getting into that situation. Lucky we did, my DH became epileptic 2 years later and lost his licence
You want older people to move just because their licence has been suspended whilst they wait for a test that in the very vast majority will confirm they are absolutely safe to drive?

And that's not ageism? Why is racism seen as a major crime but ageism perfectly acceptable on MN? It's shocking!

It is easy enough to get a taxi unless you have your vital medical appointment which coincides with school start or finishing times. Around where I live schools have staggered endings and most taxis are dependent on school runs . Then finding a clean taxi that doesn’t reek and a driver that doesn’t start in a rush and slam on brakes and play very loud music or says they are not registered with this council and must drop you off at the bottom of a steep hill . I have had all these situations in the past year . I take the cards of drivers who have clean cars drive know how to use deodorant.

Some older people are realistic and judge their capabilities well.

Some older people simply don't want to acknowledge slowing reflexes, more eye-related problems driving in the dark and face the fact they're slowly not able to do as much as they were. Plus some people really really struggle with transport in the countryside without a car.

Most aggressive and dangerous driving is by young people...... they are the problem not the older generation. Mumsnet is so ageist

Sadly, often not

Is it this one?
www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5494487-to-think-rospa-should-make-it-clear-that-older-driver-assessments-might-result-in-a-loss-of-license?page=1

70 is only 3 years after retirement age, lots of people are still working. As retirement age increases are working people going to have take tests and not be able to get to work as there is a long delay in tests?

You do know GP's don't provide transport?

For people like my parents, where my Dad has dementia (but my mum is fine) you think they should move somewhere unfamiliar, and make him even more distressed? It's not even really isolated places which struggle. There are 6 thousand people in my village. We have 4 buses a day. The nearest acute hospital is nearly an hour away, probably £100 round trip, on a pension.

Why are you so focused on the group who statistically cause the least crashes? 17-24 has the most crashes, and males much more than females. Should men have to retake their test more often? I think maybe they should retake it after a couple years to make sure not got into bad habits

I’ve said this for years and OAPs always kick up a fuss over their independence but honestly the amount of times I’ve nearly been rammed off the road by an 80 year old woman that obviously thinks she’s well within her lane staring wide eyed ahead is a joke. Not even a test necessarily just a lesson and if the instructor thinks you need a test it’s then put forward, I actually think this should happen every license renewal so 10years. It’s not just old people that are idiots on the road I think we could all do with a bit of monitoring and once every ten years then maybe go to 5 years at 70, just a ‘check up’ with an every day instructor that has authority to issue an order for a retest if necessary. I’d be happy to do this and I’ve only been driving 13 years.

I think that graph is very clearly demonstrating it should be from 70.

Something is happening at 70 very abruptly to turn that flatline of experience sharply upward. Just because everyone isn’t crashing immediately doesn’t mean there isn’t an issue.

I don't think anybody should be "legislated against"

https://www.iamroadsmart.com/courses-services/for-individuals/mature-driver-review/
This is the one. There's also a Plus version, which is specifically for when concerns have been raised or after an accident.