Concerns about older drivers rising, DVLA figures suggest

The fig of radical contacting the DVLA disquieted astir a driver's quality down the instrumentality is rising, a BBC Freedom of Information petition shows.

Experts said older radical should program their status from driving and relatives should beryllium having "difficult conversations" with loved ones.

In 2022, 48,754 concerns implicit a person's fittingness to thrust were submitted to the DVLA.

The authorities said motorists indispensable guarantee they were acceptable to drive.

The BBC Freedom of Information petition recovered that, successful 2022, 48,754 notifications were submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency from crossed Great Britain with concerns implicit a person's fittingness to drive.

That is up 82% from 26,716 successful 2021.

During the archetypal 3 months of 2023, the bureau received 11,548 notifications.

These numbers - which screen England, Wales and Scotland - see self-declarations, those by aesculapian officials and third-party notifications.

If a operator cannot work a fig sheet 65ft (20m) away, they are required to archer the DVLA.

Mr Tassell's girl Emma Damen said: "He virtually didn't spot my dada astatine all, and drove consecutive into him."

Mrs Damen encouraged anyone acrophobic astir a household member's quality to thrust to "please conscionable accidental something".

"Because ultimately, if you don't and they get down the instrumentality of a car, look what's happened successful my case: my dada should inactive beryllium present and he's not and there's nary crushed for that," she said.

Mrs Damen would similar escaped mandatory eyes tests "whenever you renew your licence".

She added: "How tin a determination to thrust a car which tin origin fatalities, which is evidently your worst lawsuit scenario, beryllium a choice?"

Department for Transport (DfT) information shows accrued casualty rates for some older and younger drivers.

Older drivers, defined arsenic those aged 70 and over, made up 21% of car operator fatalities successful 2021. Younger drivers, aged 17-24, made up 16%.

Caroline Abrahams, foundation manager of Age UK, said: "Our view, and the probe backs up the notion, is that property is simply a beauteous rotten proxy for quality to drive.

"As we get older, our absorption clip slows down. But we thin to marque up for that, due to the fact that we person greater experience."

DVLA information shows, arsenic of 13 May, determination were 6,023,173 radical aged 70 and implicit who clasp afloat driving licences successful Great Britain.

In 2017, the fig aged 90 and implicit topped 100,000 for the archetypal time. As of May, the fig is 139,673.

Ms Abrahams said: "Most of america volition get to the constituent wherever really it is clip for america to bent up the keys. But judging that is rather hard."

She said galore older radical "value their autobus pass. But of people it's lone immoderate bully if there's a autobus to take".

In February, BBC investigation of DfT data suggested Britain's section autobus web shrank by an estimated 14%.

But helium said it was "probably a bully idea" to present "a driving trial oregon immoderate benignant of cognitive trial oregon a aesculapian test".

Prof Musselwhite said those who planned their status from driving were capable to bent up their keys much successfully.

"They've got friends and household and neighbours sometimes to assistance them bash the driving," helium said.

"But those who near it acold excessively precocious are astatine hazard of feeling precise isolated, truly not being capable to fulfil their lives done the journeys that they'd erstwhile done."

His parent Pat Colquhoun said: "He was 27, full beingness successful beforehand of him, taken distant by a stubborn aged antheral who wouldn't perceive to his family.

"It conscionable seems madness to maine that a man with specified mediocre eyesight was allowed to drive."

Rob Heard, president of the Older Drivers Forum, said those reasoning of having that "difficult conversation" with a loved 1 should see who is the champion idiosyncratic to talk to them, erstwhile is the close time, and what steps tin beryllium taken together.

Becky Guy, roadworthy information manager for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, added: "The archetypal happening that anyone should bash if they're acrophobic astir their driving for a aesculapian crushed is sojourn their GP consecutive away."

She said "simple assessments" tin assistance drivers find areas wherever they tin improve, portion driving mobility centres tin "advise connected however radical tin proceed to thrust safely, possibly with adaptations to their vehicle".

A DfT spokesperson said: "All drivers are already required to guarantee they are medically acceptable to drive, and each car drivers implicit 70 indispensable renew their licence each 3 years. We person nary plans to alteration the requirements for older drivers."