I think that i'm getting fed up with the older generation being the constant easy target of modern politicians/apparatchiks and their media chums.

Maybe a full blood test of all licence holders under 40 years (all ages for current politicians with their murky pasts) for drug/alcohol abuse would yield more licences being withdrawn and the roads much safer.

While agreeing with GB, I should mention that eye tests are free every year for over-70s, and it seems silly not to take advantage of that. The worry is that those who don't are the ones who need it most, but they're frightened of being stopped from driving.

Older people are mostly diligent with their eye tests...and the rest of the tests, getting boring now.

It occurs to me that an eye test (for both acuity and field of vision) by a qualified optician together with a fitness to drive statement from a GP should be compulsory every ten years as a minimum.

As a retired GP I have no problem with the proposal that I (and all over 70s) should have an annual eye test, and as Avant has already pointed out these are free for over-70s.

However ... having spent many hours of my professional life conducting the mandatory medical examinations for professional drivers (HGV, PCV Taxi, etc) I struggle to think of more than a tiny % of medicals that would have picked up a reason to advise that driving should be given up / suspended. Yes, there were a few when I detected undisclosed medical conditions, but if one really wanted to detect unsafe drivers they would have to be examined on the road; checking their ability to react and respond to the unpredictable behaviour of other road users - this would be more appropriate for driving-test examiners to conduct rather than take out another hour or so of the GP's timetable. With the number of over-70s on the roads to do this annually would probably require a dozen or more dedicated examiners in every city!

Totally agree but disagree with only over 70's ... all drivers should be required to have regular eye tests, say every 5 years (or 3 years if problems that cannot be fixed by glasses or contact lenses are likely). This is nothing to do with age, but all to do with safety - especially for the other road users and their passengers.

When I said that eye tests are free every year for over 70s, I could have added that they're also free every 2 years for over 60s.

Nothing to start an argument about.

What about psychological tests for applicants for a new license? I suspect that some of them have latent homicidal tendencies.