Money Matters

Just because you are 90 does not mean you are unsafe behind the wheel of a car. The drivers most likely to have accidents are men aged 17 to 25. Since the Duke of Edinburgh’s car crash, there have been calls (typically by young people) to ban the elderly from the roads or at least force them to take a new driving test. Young people regard those in their seventies as elderly, but it really is not a question of age.

There are more than 300 centenarians still holding driving licences, more than 100,000 90-year-olds and some five million over-70s. Experience does count. There is just one reason to stop driving: if you do not have full control of a vehicle and so might endanger other people and yourself. Safe motoring requires the ability to interact constantly with what is going on around you. You need good co-ordination, hearing and eyesight, the ability to concentrate, good reaction times, memory and muscle power.

You must tell the DVLA if you are diagnosed with certain health problem, including diabetes, heart conditions and glaucoma. The DVLA website lists exactly which medical conditions and disabilities need to be reported. You will not necessarily be banned from driving, though you have to surrender your licence if your doctor tells you to stop driving for three months or more.

Dementia is reportable but the Alzheimer’s Society says a dementia diagnosis on its own is not a reason to stop people driving and one in three people with dementia still drives.

Overall it is motorists’ responsibility to hand in their licence if they feel unsafe: you can be fined £1,000 if you fail to

report a medical condition that affects your driving.

At 70, you do have to renew your driving licence, whatever your state of health. You simply report to the DVLA that you are still fit to drive and then do so again every three years, though, by doing so online, you will be qualified to drive only cars and vans. If you want to drive trailers or small lorries, you need to renew on paper, with a doctor’s note.

You do not need to take more tests but you can get your driving ability assessed. Contact the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Driving Mobility or IAM Roadsmart for a check-up and perhaps refresher training.

Though there is no upper age limit for driving, and older drivers are safer than young ones, some insurance companies raise premiums massively when you hit the age of 80.

If that happens, look for a different insurer and make sure you emphasise a good driving record because that counts more than age. Some insurers discount premiums for drivers who take an advanced driving course such as Pass Plus run by approved driving instructors, and the IAM Roadsmart course.

Several websites help to keep older drivers on the road: iamroadsmart.com; www.rospa.com; drivingmobility.org.uk; olderdriversforum.com; brake.org.uk.

The DVLA website is unfortunately susceptible to widespread scams. Some of these send text messages saying you are due a refund on your vehicle excise duty; others say that you owe money for unpaid tax.

Some criminals set up websites to imitate the DVLA, only to charge fees for services that are free. Always contact the DVLA through the government website gov.uk/government/organisations/ driver-and-vehicle-licensing-agency.