Here’s the latest verified news about new rules affecting drivers over 70, especially from the UK and similar road-safety updates:
🚗 What’s happening with drivers over 70?
- New government road safety plans are proposing tighter checks for drivers aged 70 and older, particularly in the UK context. These would not immediately ban them, but could mean stricter requirements to keep their licences legally valid. (GB News)
🧠 Mandatory eyesight (and possibly cognitive) tests
- Officials are consulting on proposals that would require drivers over 70 to take mandatory eye tests every three years when renewing their licence instead of trusting self-declarations of good vision. (GB News)
- There’s also talk of cognitive assessments to check reaction time and decision-making ability as part of the licence renewal for older drivers. (GB News)
🚫 What does that mean in practice?
- If these tests become law and a driver fails the required eyesight or other assessments, they could lose the ability to renew their licence and therefore won’t be legally allowed to drive — which is likely what the “can no longer drive” headlines refer to. (GB News)
📆 Where things stand
- These measures are not yet final laws in the UK — the government is currently consulting and assessing responses before confirming specifics. (GB News)
- Similar conversations are happening in some other countries and states (e.g., more frequent or in-person renewals and vision checks in parts of the U.S.). (GSWCBSA)
🧠 Why these discussions are happening
Authorities cite data showing that older drivers have higher crash fatality rates per crash than middle-aged drivers, often due to age-related changes in vision, strength and reaction time. (cdc.gov)
If you want, I can explain how these proposed tests work and what drivers aged 70+ should prepare for under the new rules.