Driverless cars will be a lifeline for over-75s
LIFELINE: The number of older drivers – particularly men – who are having their licences revoked has shot up recently OLDER motorists are banking on driverless technology to keep them on the road, following a sharp acceleration in the numbers losing their licence on medical grounds.
Last year 15,290 motorists aged 75 and over had their licences revoked, a rise of 64 per cent over the last five years.
Almost 60,000 have lost their licence since 2012, of whom almost three quarters were male.
There is no legal age at which a driver has to stop although motorists must tell the DVLA if they have a medical condition that could affect their driving such as dementia, diabetes, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis or eye problems.
Around 2.6 million over-75s are still able to get behind the wheel, with two thirds still driving regularly. Direct Line Car Insurance calculates that another 1.2 million could get back behind the wheel, once autonomous cars hit the road.
Some 560,000 older drivers already say that they want technology that drives the car for them as Google, BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Tesla and others attempt to realise the concept.
Direct Line head of automotive technology Nick Reid said driverless cars could play a vital role in preventing over-75s from feeling isolated: “More than two thirds say being unable to drive would hinder their independence and limit their ability to see friends and family.”
He added the technology is making advances every day and self-driving cars are no longer science fiction: “They could have a hugely positive impact on the lives of older generations.”