What will happen if I contact the DVLA to say I don’t think they should be driving?

We reported my Nanna to the GP who said that she could surrender her license voluntarily or the GP would notify the DVLA
He didn't realise Nanna was still driving and was shocked!!!!
I mean she really shouldn't have been!!

See* my post above

This was my DGF - nothing wrong medically, just generally elderly, reactions weren't as good and he couldn't judge distances anymore. He my post above - he voluntarily gave up driving

My dad reported my grandad to the GP (admittedly this was approx 20 years ago) It absolutely broke dads heart to do it but it was the right thing- he was called in for some tests and licence revolked. Grandad never knew it was anything to do with dad.
I feel for you OP, my dad still feels bad about it to this day. But he couldn't risk the alternative and knows it was the right thing to do.

Doesn’t mean it’s worth their dodgy driving, Mere. Nobody is ‘entitled’ to use the roads because they ‘like their freedom’ at the expense of the safety of others. There have been too many tragedies involving elderly people behind the wheel for there not to be mandatory retesting at 80 in my opinion.

That’s based on the idea that the elderly have restricted interests which can be accommodated by city centre living. The elderly do not suddenly decide that a fulfilling life consists of gentle visits to the shops enlivened by occasional outings to the doctor.

And also fails to take into account the very poor state of public transport in large parts of the country. A free bus pass is only of use if you can find a bus to use it on.

I live in a suburb which on paper is well connected with buses every half hour to the city centre (even if the 9 mile journey takes an hour). But cancellations are such that an appointment in the centre would need me to set out an hour and a half or even two hours early. Young people have limited employment opportunities unless they can afford a car.

My brother reported too. So two of us saying same thing.

I reported my Dad. Lots of forms to fill in (which I helped with). He was called for an eye test which I went to. Managed a quiet word with optician to stress my concerns. He failed test.
I imagine it’s quick & easy for DVLA to start by insisting on an eye test.

I also know someone who thought her Dad should give up. He wouldn’t and her Mum was killed in a car accident when he was driving.

Report.

Has anyone got any experience of the issue being general slow reactions/not being particularly observant of what's going on, rather than a specific medical issue?

Well done you might just have saved somebody’s life there.

I dobbed fil in using the anonymous form on the dvla website. He was called in by the DVla for a test fairly soon and had his licence revoked. Still doesn't know it was me. Well worth it.

My relative did not go to the GP, they were sent straight to an optician.

This is exactly true. I reported a relative online a couple of years ago. They had a test/GP visit and had license taken away.
never found out it was me who reported.

No, but you can call the police when they are out driving.

Of course but again nothing will actually happen until they are caught driving. The Police can’t post someone by the car and the Insurance company will simply say the person isn’t insured if there is an accident.
It doesn’t stop them driving, it just means there are consequences if they are caught doing so

So you inform their insurance company and the police.

I have relatives living in Cornwall. The number of older people living down dirt tracks or in the middle of no where with no idea about what they are going to do if driving becomes impossible is staggering. What actually ends up happening is that they carry on driving anyway....

I know a PP said that maybe they didnt want to leave the area but not at the cost of driving around when they shouldnt be!

When the time comes for me I will be moving to a town which has great transport links not sitting there with my arms folding saying 'why should I move?'

I went to the GP with my dad and managed to signal to her from behind him that he shouldn't be driving. She twigged and asked him how he felt it was going. He of course said it was fine and she said she couldn't forbid him from continuing but that he should seriously consider jacking it in.
Fortunately, we persuaded him to come to the decision himself.

You can report it and they may get a letter and their licence revoked
However, it may not stop them and nothing will happen unless they get stopped by The Police for some reason or have an accident

I get it's a pride thing, but it makes me mad and sad how many insist on soldering on despite not being fit to drive. My DGF hung his keys and driving cap up of own accord, he knew he couldn't judge distances, poor reaction time etc. We were all so proud of him. I wish more would be as unselfish as him

Please please report them.
My friend didn't, her DF got in a car and killed someone.

There is a problem with elderly people living in rural locations away from services and it will get worse as rural GP services close down and bus routes are cut.

I live in a medium size town surrounded by lots of rural villages. Thursday and Saturday are known locally as no-go days as it is market day when all the elderly drivers in the rural villages come to town to do a shop, visit the drs and go to the market. The local car parks on these days look like a bumper car ride. Cars just reversing into one another/ bollards/ mounting kerbs. The speed of cars driving through town on these days drops from 35-40mph to about 25mph. Almost every single incident on these days happen with a driver over 75.

Of the rural villages around us, only 2 of the 16 have a corner shop. None have a drs surgery as when the partnership in town took over one of the village drs they shut it and moved all drs from that surgery to the town to make a "super surgery". The library is in town, the bank is in town, the post office is in town.

There used to be a bus from most of the villages to town but most of these have been cut and replaced with one dial a ride service that covers all the villages, it is nearly impossible to book the service when you actually need it and booking is on an app. The surviving bus routes run 2x a day and are part of the secondary school bus route so goes to town around 8.15 and returns to the village from the bus station at 3.45.

What would be ideal is if people who were unable to drive could live in town. However, there are very few bungalows (and those that are for sale are very expensive due to demand for then) and the 2 over 50s developments in town have very expensive and difficult to get out of (in the event of death) leasehold agreements.

We have had 2 accidents now where an elderly driver has gone into our car! Once DH was taking something out of it and the old man just drove into the open side door and nearly took it off! The second time DH was stationary waiting at a junction and a different old man just slammed into the back of him.
Fortunately the first one he wasn't in the car, but the second one he had pretty bad whiplash effects. Both could have been much worse!

Please report them!

My dad was a bloody menace in the car and shouldn't have been driving. He refused point blank to engage and kept self-certifying himself fit to drive (I think you have to do this over the age of 70). He should have had his license removed.

He had a serious accident involving another car which I am certain was his fault.

Please report to the DVLA.

My husband is 70 and has a cataract. He used to have very good eyesight so it seems bad to him now.

He checked with the optician that he is ok to drive and was told he is fine. He was shocked when the optician showed him how bad he could be and still drive!