Campaigners demand older drivers face health tests every three years in new crackdown

Older drivers may have to face health assessments every three years to stay on the roads, if demands for campaigners are one day introduced. James Luckhurst, Head of Road Safety at GEM Motoring Assist, has backed the concept of a 'Driver MOT' to check individuals are safe to remain on the road.

They stress a check would look at whether a driver's "cognitive awareness" is up to scratch. Meanwhile, the tests would also look at road users' eyesight and reaction times ahead of every driving licence renewal. It’s hoped the checks would boost road safety for elderly motorists who are still among the most vulnerable on the road.

James said: "The Older Drivers Task Force recommends mandatory eye tests and raising the self-declaration age to 75, accompanied by proof of vision checks. Yet the government has so far failed to act.

"GEM favours the 'Driver MOT', a three-yearly check-up that focuses on vision, reaction times and cognitive awareness. It’s not full retesting, but it would go a long way to identify drivers at risk, without imposing unnecessary penalties on those drivers fortunate enough to retain good standards of vision.

"Of course, vision is just one piece in an often complex jigsaw puzzle that’s not well served by self-regulation and inconsistent third-party reporting by medical professionals and family members."

A previous YouGov poll found there would be some interest in the introduction of driving checks on drivers later in life. A total of 29% of those polled said they strongly supported the idea of a driving test retake at 70, with 36% somewhat agreeing.

The 2023 study revealed that just 27% of those polled said they either somewhat opposed or strongly opposed the move.

It’s not the first time the concept of a 'Driver MOT' test has been suggested, with experts at ClickMechanic also outlining the plan earlier this year.

Andrew Jervis, founder and CEO of ClickMechanic also stressed that eyesight quality, road awareness and reaction times should all be looked at.

He said: “Right now, drivers have to reapply for their license at 70 and then every three years after that. Instead of making them take a full test, it could be more useful to check key things like reaction speed, eyesight, and awareness.

"A better option might be a simple three-yearly ‘driver MOT’ – a quick check-up to keep everyone safe without making older drivers feel like they’re being forced off the road.

"Plus, older drivers tend to take better care of their cars, getting them serviced more regularly, which could actually make their vehicles safer."