Number of drivers aged over 90 on the road doubles in a decade

Car is lifeline for many but sight tests for the over-70s wishing to renew licence would boost safety, says AA

THE number of drivers aged 90 and older has doubled to more than 150,000 in the last 10 years.

A record 153,000 British nonagenarians hold driving licences, despite concerns that eyesight deteriorates with age. That number has risen from 77,000 in November 2013.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) statistics, revealed in a Freedom of Information response, have renewed calls for mandatory eye tests to improve road safety.

The AA is campaigning for drivers to show evidence of regular eye tests to carry on driving once they reach 70, to “improve road safety”.

The marked increase in the number of older drivers could be due to an ageing population, but also fewer older drivers being prepared to give up their licences.

Drivers are not subject to mandatory checks on their skills or health once they obtain their licence, no matter how old they become, although they are required to inform the DVLA if they are no longer fit to drive.

Concerns have been raised that some older people are continuing to drive when they should not, while others may be giving up their cars too early and risk exclusion from services and activities.

A Yougov survey conducted in July indicated that 65 per cent of British adults would support drivers aged 70 or over having to retake a practical test every three years to keep their licence.

However, Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “If driving restrictions based on age and safety were introduced, we would be more likely to restrict young drivers rather than older drivers.

“Young, predominantly male drivers are much more likely to crash within six months of passing their test than older drivers within six months of hanging up their keys. Nevertheless, we do believe that one check to improve road safety would be for those over 70 years of age to show evidence of regular eye tests when renewing their licence, and also stricter guidance from GPS.”

“There are also broader health benefits for all drivers from having regular eye tests.”

Mr King said the decision to stop driving should be based on “personal advice from your GP and family” rather than reaching an “arbitrary age”.

He added: “We all age differently and the car is an essential lifeline for many elderly people.”

A Department for Transport (DFT) spokeswoman said: “We will keep licensing standards up to date to make sure everyone can use our roads safely and with peace of mind.

“Over-70s must renew their licence every three years and all drivers must meet vision standards for driving, while also being legally obliged to notify the DVLA if a medical condition could affect their fitness to drive.”

DFT figures show older drivers involved in serious crashes are more likely to have failed to look properly than younger motorists.

The error contributed to 30 per cent of incidents in which at least one person was killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads between 2016 and 2021 involving drivers aged over 70.

That was compared with 22 per cent for younger drivers. The oldest licence holder as of November was a 109-yearold woman, although it is not known if she was still driving.

Nearly 600,000 people in the UK in 2021 were aged 90 and over, according to the latest available Office for National Statistics estimate.