Driving over 70

[Veryveryconcerned]

It took me time to decide but after getting other people’s opinions I reported an over 70 driver to the DVLA due to poor eyesight. Prior to the person’s 70th birthday they had said they were getting rid of their 3.5 tonne van as they said they would not pass the test to be able to continue driving it. The person is virtually blind in one eye and the eyesight is not good in the other. They do not get their eyes tested because they do not want to have to stop driving. My concern is the other people on the roads.
Does anyone know how long it takes and what exactly the DVLA do when they receive a report. I have reported it anonymously but it was about 8 weeks ago which is very concerning.
Am I worrying unnecessarily?

Ps, medical is from 65 years.

@Sarahjane03 yes apparently the UK is the only European country to issue licences without any visual checks for a continuous period up to the age of 70.

@olivewah I felt the same when DF was told by a doctor (rather than us having to tell him) to give up his beloved car. Also, sorry to hear about the recent news of the diagnosis. It's a hard time x

I’m currently sitting at the airport due to the delayed flight! Anyway I’d optician and I can’t even begin to tell you the horror stories I come across each day. Just before my holiday, I tested someone who complained that they can’t see the end of the junction when driving. I recommend glasses and said that they are barely legal to drive without glasses. They proceed to argue with me that barely legal is not illegal therefore they don’t need glasses. I mean you can’t see the end of the effing road but please go ahead and drive off to a sunset without the glasses just mind that you don’t kill anyone. And no even if someone is illegal to drive we can’t notify DVLA. These rules are about 70 years old and needs changing

So agree all drivers with bad eye sight need reporting . We need to bring the lower age for a driving test up to 25 and yearly health checks on all drivers from 25 up wards to when a driver is not safe to drive , a new driving test for people driving suv like a lorry or hgv test other wise drivers should only drive up to a one litre engine or the same in electric verchiles. To save lives this is there are to many people who can't drive the huge suv size cars and they need banning from town and city's as they ruin the road surface, you did the right thing with you completely

@SunnyBlueSeal Driving Eyesight

To be fair if the individual barely met the standards set out in the link they are not illegal to drive they are just about legal. The customer was correct in relation to your phraseology. Either they met the standard or they did not. If they did not they cannot legally drive. If they did but barely, they are just about legal to drive.

So agree you can get a private heath check by a gp to take the worry from your mind as some older drivers are not safe , as with certain people that drive mobility cars , we should consider bringing the age to get a driving licence up to 25 as many young drivers kill them selves ,plus young drivers should be restricted to a 1 litre lce or electric size car and we need a new license test for suvs drivers like a hgv as many cant drive these huge van /bus type cars so there fore are not safe.Eyesight is very important and all drivers of any age need testing every 2 years

Blows my mind you don’t have eye tests. Where I am, we need to do it when renewing our license- just a quick test at the counter as part of the renewal. Then once you hit a certain age, you need a Dr clearance, then over that again you need the clearance plus drivers test. You will get a whole load of people screaming ‘ageist’ but it’s just common sense. Just as it is common sense to enforce routine eye tests irrespective of age.

I'd say every year. Deterioration - especially with things like dementia - can happen so fast.

Barely legal, what is that, you have to be able to read the numberplate at 20m, you either can or can't.

They can and should refer it to DVLA though.

No it wasn't. I was parked next to him eating my lunch. That's the problem. I've had people say 'i only let dad drive around the village, he's not safe to go anywhere else '

Rubbish, you're just ageist and happy to take someone's independence away.

I will have to stop driving because of poor eyesight eventually. I will become classed as partially blind. However it could be fixed but the NHS doesn't cover it despite the massive impact it will have on my quality of life. I won't be able to get to my job as it would take nearly 3 houts on public transport and walking instead of a 20 minute drive.

Maybe you'd be better focused on campaigning to get people the heslthcare they need instead of ruining people's lives then feeling guilty?

I hope they find out its you.

All elderly drivers should have eyesight checked and maybe do a theory type hazard perception/awareness/reaction time test every year.

An elderly driver killed my dad, ran him over, and drove home and went to bed. Left him in the middle of he road, dying alone in the cold and dark. he was DOA at hospital. So I might be biased.

I also have had quite a few experiences of older people nearly reversing into me, etc and just seeming unaware of what’s going on around them. Something needs to change.

This is what .gov site says.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/general-information-assessing-fitness-to-drive
Although health professionals don't have to report, they have a professional duty to consider reporting if the person poses a significant risk to others.

The unfortunate thing is they probably won’t do anything. I reported an older gentleman last year, he drives a massive 20 year old car past our shop regularly and stops it anywhere he feels like along the high street to visit a shop even if this is on zigzags, puts his blue badge on and gets out of the car. This is ignorant enough but he cannot hold himself up. He uses the car as support whilst he shuffles round to the boot to get his walker out, and I don’t mean he’s touching it for balance, he’s literally holding on with both hands and shuffling. If he cannot support his own weight I fail to see how he can perform an emergency stop. Car is not adapted. The man is going to kill someone one of these days because he’s too stubborn to give up his license. So continues to drive round in a 2 tonne missile!
DVLA have done nothing!

Well thank god you don’t make policy. That’s a very uneducated and disablist comment to make. And would stop people seeking early diagnosis and treatment.

yes, there are many people with dementia who shouldn’t and don’t drive. But many. With early intervention can remain driving safely after diagnosis for a considerable length of time.

The doctor has assessed you dad, and deemed him no longer safe, but in many cases, dependent how far the dementia has progressed, people can keep driving.

my dh drove for 18 months after diagnosis. And then he stopped.

Why are people so quick to claim that everything is 'ageist'. Surely eyesight just does deteriorate as we get older, it's just a fact of life. Reaction times get slower also. So poor eyesight coupled with getting older is going to affect driving, yes? As I'm getting older I know I will become slower and will find driving harder. I'm not afraid to admit it!

See this is awful. How utterly selfish must the man be? He absolutely should be stopped from driving.

I watched that. It was completely shocking, one of the drivers couldn't see past their nose. Those two friends mown down when they got off the bus after a lovely day shopping together. That programme has made me very nervous on the road as I keep wondering how many drivers can't see clearly.

This isn't about people who need glasses or half the population wouldn't be driving including me.

Its not ageist to point out that some age related sight problems, like macular degeneration, aren't able to be corrected even with glasses. If you pass the sight test/health check at 70 or 80 or older, then you are fine. If not, independence doesn't come at the price of killing other people.

I had this discussion recently with my dad as he was starting to fall asleep while driving. I actually threatened to report him to DVLA and he sorted the issue. (It was exhaustion from caring role and he now pays for respite care)

@squashedb you do know about prescription sunglasses don't you? 😎

It’s shocking that people drive with poor eyesight. Utterly selfish.

My DF had a medical incident and was told he could no longer drive. We were left to notify the DVLA, so he could have easily driven. It should be up to the doctor/optician to notify.

Why do you feel entitled to know the outcome? Maybe they have been contacted and have been found fine to drive.

You've done your bit. Now keep your ageist nose out of it.

I put the age because that is when I first heard about it from the person. He said about getting rid of his 3.5 tonne van because he wouldn’t pass the test he would have to take on reaching the age of 70.