Older drivers causing accidents by failing to see dangers ahead

OLDER drivers’ failure to spot dangers was responsible for nearly half of their serious crashes, figures suggest.

Failing to properly look contributes to 42.6 per cent of accidents involving drivers aged over 70, according to data from the Department for Transport.

This compares with an average of just 35.7 per cent for all ages in accidents on Britain’s roads in 2020 involving at least one death or injury.

The data has prompted the RAC to call for drivers to have their eyes tested when they renew their licence, which would affect over-70s every three years.

Motorists are not subjected to mandatory tests after getting a licence, no matter their age, but must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency if their health deteriorates to the extent that they are no longer fit to drive.

Other causes of crashes which are more prevalent among older drivers include failing to judge another road user’s speed, being dazzled by the sun and being nervous or uncertain.

But pensioners are less likely to be speeding or impaired by alcohol. The number of drivers involved in collisions decreases with advancing age after the 30-35 age category.

Separate official figures show a record 5.8million people aged 70 and over now hold a full driving licence, up 29 per cent on 2016.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “As our faculties decline, we owe it to ourselves and other road users to routinely assess our own competence to drive.

“We are not convinced of the need for mandatory re-testing, but there is a strong case for requiring all drivers to have their eyes tested, ideally linked to the renewal of photo ID licences.

“The worst thing a driver can do is ignore a medical condition that might impact their ability to drive. With the right treatment, many conditions are manageable and mean people can safely and legally keep their keys rather than being forced off the road.”

Licences must be renewed every three years once the holder is 70, compared with every 10 years up to then.

Last December, a governmentfunded road safety report recommended that older drivers should not get points on their licence if they run a red light.

The Older Drivers Task Force called for over-70s to be allowed to take a fitness-to-drive test instead of facing legal penalties if caught driving carelessly. The measure has been tried out in a handful of police force areas.