Page 15 | It should be mandatory to retake a driving test again age 70 and every five years after that

InSlovakiaTheCapitalOfCourseIsBratislava · 2026-10-22T12:55:27+00:00

What it says really, especially given the aging population and associated cognitive decline, impacting on reactions, and also cars being larger, and fifty years of bad habits that the driver has got away with Obviously young men are the most likely to have the worst accidents because of their tendencies towards risky behaviour, but there are steps to address this, and they do tend to hurt themselves more than others presumably this came up in past years especially given the terrible incident in morningside 2020 with the little boy, but after trying to reason with an obdurate 75 year old father who only hasn’t done something awful for sheer good fortune it’s feeling on my mind

Doneworking · 23/10/2026 08:26

Imdunfer · 23/10/2026 07:46

Nobody is going to take away their licence unless they aren't fit to drive.

People at the age of 70 need to be making sure they can access other means of getting to where they need to be.

That's all I said.

What do you find unreasonable about that point of view?

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I’ve never said it’s unreasonable nor not a valid point. I’m not 70, far from it, but it’s unfair to pick on 70 year olds when as you’ve said previously anyone could lose their licence at any age so should we all become townies just in case. I think not. All I said was sometimes it’s not easy to just up sticks and move.

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 08:34

Who drives with their hands at ten to two after a decade on the road?

Me. After four decades.

Imdunfer · 23/10/2026 08:35

Doneworking · 23/10/2026 08:26

I’ve never said it’s unreasonable nor not a valid point. I’m not 70, far from it, but it’s unfair to pick on 70 year olds when as you’ve said previously anyone could lose their licence at any age so should we all become townies just in case. I think not. All I said was sometimes it’s not easy to just up sticks and move.

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I am the last person you need to tell that downsizing is not easy.

I never said it was.

I did not say the rest of what you are saying I said either.

Imdunfer · 23/10/2026 08:36

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 08:34

Who drives with their hands at ten to two after a decade on the road?

Me. After four decades.

Congratulations!

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 08:39

Imdunfer · 23/10/2026 08:36

Congratulations!

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On what? Still driving the way I was taught?

Imdunfer · 23/10/2026 08:44

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 08:39

On what? Still driving the way I was taught?

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On being a rarity. That way of driving started in the days when no cars had power steering and poor road holding and had to be held to a line. It was the only safe way to maintain control of the car.

Wopple · 23/10/2026 08:58

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 08:34

Who drives with their hands at ten to two after a decade on the road?

Me. After four decades.

I believe that position is actually no longer recommended due to airbags or something. I doubt (but don’t know) if it’s a fail-able thing on a test but like everything in life rules change and that hand position is actually no longer recommended from what I’ve heard.

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 09:05

Wopple · 23/10/2026 08:58

I believe that position is actually no longer recommended due to airbags or something. I doubt (but don’t know) if it’s a fail-able thing on a test but like everything in life rules change and that hand position is actually no longer recommended from what I’ve heard.

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Apparently it’s nine and three now but 40 years of muscle memory is difficult to undo! Hopefully my airbag will never need to deploy.

UniquePinkSwan · 23/10/2026 09:16

I’d rather you couldn’t pass your test until 21. Young people are a danger on the roads

pavillion1 · 23/10/2026 09:36

Not at 70 that’s way to young

OneNavyMerc · 23/10/2026 09:45

Both my parents drove well into their 80s, BUT my father was never a good driver, so it was a relief when he stopped.
My mother was a terrific driver, as was her mother - apologies Mumsnet from coming from a massively privileged background - and only stopped because my sister bullied her.
Some months later she died, because her freedom had been curtailed so much.
Make of that what you will.

LancashireButterPie · 23/10/2026 09:45

MrTiddlesTheCat · 22/10/2026 14:05

Do you think older people are incapable of judging for themselves if they're fit to drive or not?

Sadly yes. Some of them are.
However I think families, health care professionals and GPs who diagnose conditions, should have a portal where they can report concerns.

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 09:49

LancashireButterPie · 23/10/2026 09:45

Sadly yes. Some of them are.
However I think families, health care professionals and GPs who diagnose conditions, should have a portal where they can report concerns.

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Healthcare professionals already do. Some operations are required to be reported to DVLC and clearance is required before the patient can drive again.

OneNavyMerc · 23/10/2026 09:50

One point I should make. If you are a good driver, whatever that means, you will always be aware of your limitations.
I was aware that after 50 my reactions might be slower, although they are pretty good, even now, but I adapted my style.
The problem these days, appears to be youngsters in cars far too powerful for them, who believe they are invincible. This has nothing at all to do with the over 70s IMHO.

DdraigGoch · 23/10/2026 09:53

At the very least, renewing a driving licence ought to be conditional on passing an eye test. Not just at 70 but at every renewal.

Thisusernameisalwaysavailable · 23/10/2026 09:54

Why not have EVERYBODY re-test every 5 years?

Thisusernameisalwaysavailable · 23/10/2026 09:55

LancashireButterPie · 23/10/2026 09:45

Sadly yes. Some of them are.
However I think families, health care professionals and GPs who diagnose conditions, should have a portal where they can report concerns.

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so are people in their 30s... everyone thinks they're a great driver.

BIossomtoes · 23/10/2026 09:57

OneNavyMerc · 23/10/2026 09:50

One point I should make. If you are a good driver, whatever that means, you will always be aware of your limitations.
I was aware that after 50 my reactions might be slower, although they are pretty good, even now, but I adapted my style.
The problem these days, appears to be youngsters in cars far too powerful for them, who believe they are invincible. This has nothing at all to do with the over 70s IMHO.

I agree with this. I used to be a bit of a girl racer but I drive quite sedately now. My confidence went when I needed cataract surgery and I stopped driving before the consultant suggested it and started again when my eyesight was corrected. A good driver knows when they’re not safe.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 23/10/2026 09:59

All 70-plus drivers are emphatically not like your dad!

WhereAreTheTrueGreens · 23/10/2026 10:09

Passaggressfedup · 22/10/2026 14:00

This has been debated for donkey years! The issue is how do you make it a law that isn't ageist? Because the majority of 70 years old are statistically less a danger on the road than 20 years old.

This.

Perhaps 80 plus.

Also retake test after an accident that is the drivers fault then.....

LetMeGoogleThat · 23/10/2026 10:21

The DVLA has a whole list of notifiable medical conditions, that may have an effect on driving and they require you to surrender your licence, then prove after 6 months or a year that you haven't had any effects. It amazes me that they don't apply the same principles to elderly drivers, who's reactions can be impaired, and eyesight can be deteriorating. I live rurally, and the amount of elderly drivers, especially on key days such as market, or pension day hit the roads. Some of their driving is terrifying! And the decision is up to them, whether they bother to report themselves to the DVLA or not, so I do feel the voluntary element needs replacing.

Bromptotoo · 23/10/2026 10:22

Thisusernameisalwaysavailable · 23/10/2026 09:54

Why not have EVERYBODY re-test every 5 years?

Think about it for a minute. There are 43 million people in the UK with a licence.

We can't test new drivers in an appropriate timescale.

NimbleTaupeTiger · 23/10/2026 10:24

Wopple · 22/10/2026 20:04

So over 70s are incredibly dangerous drivers but at the same time it’s disgusting that these old people claim a state pension from 67 and it should be increased to at least 75? So over 70s need to keep working (and of course are fully fit and competent to do this! Everyone has PILs or parents who still run marathons at 75!) but at the same time stop driving as they are not fit or competent to do this. Would fuck delivery drivers right over wouldn’t it. Schrödingers delivery drivers. Ah yes I forgot. They’d just need to find another job they can walk to. But not one that a young person would want. Can’t have old people taking all the good jobs! In fact I hope the home they walked from is only a tiny 1 bed flat. If they haven’t downsized to free up their big house for families then they are disgusting for that as well right! But equally how awful that the lovely 1 bed flat went to a 70 year old! That would have been a lovely starter home for a young person couple!

Huge round of applause right there 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼

Whyhaveibeencutoutofmamsnot · 23/10/2026 11:22

Actually quite a few long term drivers will be kept up to date when the go out to practice with their adult children who are learning to drive (not teaching them that is for a professional). I would ask about things they do differently than I was taught and then adapt my driving. I have had to change my habits for cars with smaller windows, cameras and detectors, automatic and electric so no more listening for engine sounds. Also speed cameras, bus lanes and yellow boxes were non existent when I learnt also changing rules on rights of way.
DH and I argued as he says it is okay to exceed the motorway speed limit to overtake a lorry eventually he agreed - fortunately before anything untoward happened.

XenoBitch · 23/10/2026 11:36

People at the age of 70 need to be making sure they can access other means of getting to where they need to be

Some 70 year olds are still working and their car is vital to their job.