Older road users have been told they “must stop driving” in a major warning to those later in life. The Older Drivers Forum has explained that drivers should no longer get behind the wheel if they feel they are “no longer safe to do so”.
The experts explained that it may be time to stop when road users feel they are putting themselves or others at risk. The UK still relies on drivers to self-certify they are fit and healthy to stay on the roads past the age of 70. Drivers simply need to fill out their medical conditions to the DVLA but there are currently no mandatory eyesight tests to check vision.
The Older Drivers Forum said: “The time may come when it is simply no longer possible for you to continue to drive safely, and for your own sake, and the sake of other people on the road, you must stop driving, and give up your driving licence.
“If you carry on driving when you are no longer safe to do so, you would be putting yourself, and other people (your passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and people in other vehicles) at risk.
“Giving up your driving licence does not mean that you will lose your freedom and mobility, as there are many alternatives to driving.”
According to previous research from the AA, drivers in the UK usually tend to give up their keys and stop driving at the age of 75. This means older drivers go through two rounds of self-certifying their fitness to drive before handing over their driving licence.
According to Uswitch, road users may decide to stop driving for a range of reasons, including a decline in physical or cognitive health.
Declining vision, reduced mobility and hearing loss are among the most common reasons drivers decide to give up their freedoms. Top car mechanic Scotty Kilmer has also claimed older motorists should consider when is right for them to stop driving.
He explained: “You get to a point where you’ve got to stop driving, I mean.
“One of those days, I’ll probably be at that stage, and I’ll probably be infuriated, but hey. If you’re a danger to yourself and others and you start running into things all the time, it’s time to stop driving.”