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

If it takes 10 attempts to be called competent on a test, I would suggest that on that 10th attempt the person got lucky rather than good.

There should be a limit to it.

I tend to think that phraseology said or written "in the moment" tells the world what the speaker/writer truly thinks.......

But you could get lucky on first.

Someone on here suggested that anyone reaching pension age should be denied things like blood pressure medication... as a way to thin out the amount of elderly.

How is "haven't had their eyes tested since they left school" exclusive to older people? 🤔. My local police did a stop & check recently with staggering results. A mixture of uninsured, bald tyres, no driving licence, failure to pass number plate basic eye test. And none of them "elderly".

The number of cars with no MOT, bald tyres, badly maintained vehicles, DUI drugs, is massive. We have much bigger problems in this country with these and the genuinely shocking standards of road behaviour and driving ability also, across all ages.

Lack of driving ability, the correct vision standards, lack of insight into their own ability to drive cross all ages groups.
Don't even get me started on repeat drink/drug driving offenders who lose their licence and keep driving because sentencing is so poor.

The fact that anyone can pass a test just once and be deemed a safe driver for ever is clearly absurd.

I would, if there was capacity in the system (which obviously there is not), require everyone with a licence to resit their test periodically, regardless of age or experience.

Plenty of other skills and licences require re-assessment for things far less dangerous than driving.

Not necessarily. Most people dash off posts quickly.

Exactly, and your instructor would not say about booking a test if you were not at a standard needed to pass.

Absolutely, but there are mechanisms in place to mitigate against that, such as there being a lower limit on points for 2 years.

Plus, as I say, I also believe that everyone should be subject to retests.

If their instructor has said about them booking a test, then they are ready to do the test.
Real life driving, lessons, and the test are all so different.

Tests are nerve wracking. It is nerves that causes people to fail. It does not mean they are bad drivers... they are just bad at tests.

Good point. Instructors don't want their students failing because it affects their pass stats.

Are you offering to fund training the examiners needed, and the police to enforce it?

The ones who are the least fit to drive are the ones most likely to ignore such a rule. “I’ve been driving since before (insert whoever proposes this) was even thought of!”

This

I would not be against a regular retest... maybe not as strict a standard as the initial test.
People pick up bad habits, and once you pass your test, you can drive as bad as you like.

I’m a driving instructor and this is often talked about.

Two things, one is we’ve got an upcoming new generation of drivers who have had quite a time with test availability. They don’t need further delays. Secondly, doctors can arrange for driving instructors to test elderly drivers, I don’t do it myself but know it’s a thing. They can then make recommendations. Third, younger people can take several tests if needed to get through, do we also do this with the elderly?

Last of all, there will be many people reading this who could easily fail a test, I frequently see people do things that would merit a fail. My students always ask why people break rules and don’t worry about it, it’s hard to reply to that one!

If you genuinely have worries about your father’s driving please have a word with his GP.

I think this post has a huge amount to it !

So punish perfectly good drivers, some of whom will still be working, volunteering, caring etc. What a silly idea.

The driving test is 50 minutes (or so) of driving. That's it. Obey the highway code, show you can control a car with someone sat next to you, don't crash.

I'm sorry, but if someone can't cope with that time and time again I would suggest they are not capable of driving on their own safely. Once or twice, sure, but there are people out there who take 10+ attempts. Maybe those people are just shit drivers.

In 2025 around 30,000 people were killed or seriously injured on the roads in Britain. There should be some pressure to prove that anyone getting behind the wheel can show a basic level of competence.

that is precisely what I meant.

No, I’ve read cases like that of this one in Edinburgh (91 year old driver with dementia) who killed a 3 year old while driving.

The fatal accident report called for cognitive testing for over 80 year-old drivers & concluded that the current system was “significantly defective”.

It’s cases like this that will force the Government eventually to act.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx252v6l60lo

Yes but you meant that that demonstrated their true beliefs and I don't think that's the case. Often we post while thinking of several things at once and can easily alight on the wrong word. I know I've done it. Did it recently on another thread, typing domestic violence when I meant marital disputes and was immediately battered by angry posters.

Schrödingers delivery drivers

Absolute class.

Love it!

Why are the government considering driving restrictions for new young drivers?

I don't think 20-year-olds should be driving then.. maybe 25 should be the limit so everyone appreciates their car more(!)