My late father drove until he was 87. The only thing that stopped him driving was the almost complete failure of his eyesight (AMD).
As I recall he used to have to renew his driving licence every three years after he was aged 70. The renewal included a signed declaration by my father that he was still medically fit to drive.
In spite of the fact that family members and myself had pointed out to him that, for the very little driving he did during his later years, it would have been cheaper for him to travel everywhere he used to go to by taxi, he was never convinced. In a way I can well understand this because, should I myself be lucky enough to live to the sort of age that my father lived to, I believe I would be exactly the same!
The only other thing I would mention is that, once you are over 70, or 75 in some cases, it's very difficult to find a new insurance company who are willing to take you as new business. Also, at this age, your car insurance premium will face a considerable age-related loading. It's almost like being a teenager again in terms of insurance premiums!
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Hi
my mother-in-law who is 92 still drives. I recall her telling me that she had to apply every 3 years after the age of 70 if you still wish to continue to drive. she packed up driving just before turning 70 but re-started a few years later as she could afford to do this
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Galaxy posted whilst i was typing - the consensus is 3 years!
the insurance is availalbe subject to no claims/etc, where you live, garaged and how many miles you drive and the type of car you have. i do not recall my miL complaining about the insurance costs.
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Personally I'm looking forward to giving up driving when I'm 70 only four years to go ......
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You may well change your mind when you get to 70! We are sort of half thinking of buying a brand new car for my dad to drive, the idea being that by the time he hits 70 the car will be scrap yard age.
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It is indeed every 3 years after 70
My mother did not renew hers in May last year, she hasn't driven for 3-4 years anyway.
Possible reason to keep renewing, if you fly low cost airlines they need photo ID, if you no longer have a current passport the driving licence is useful for that.
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Here's a heart-warming story:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3084177.stm
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i like driving at 1-85
i lost my licence, now i cant drive :-(
but lifes been good
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Here's a heart-warming story: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3084177.stm
>>
He gave up tennis at 90 and lived to 98 A good innings!
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I don't wish to sound unkind, and (God willing) I may live to a great age myself and still want to be able to drive a car, but I do wish the government would bite the bullet and introduce mandatory eye tests for drivers over 70 when they renew.
Apart from the fact that it would weed out those who are genuinely unsafe, it would IMO reduce accidents. I don't believe that all elderly motorists are necessarily bad or careless drivers, but often a combination of poor eyesight, slower reactions and physical infirmity make them seem so.
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I do wish the government would bite the bullet and introduce mandatory eye tests for drivers over 70 when they renew.
Why limit to 70.
My FIL had an accident when he was 55, found out a few days later that he should have been wearing glasses - he had them but never wore them.
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All these guys are youngsters. An OLD family friend has just told us that this year he will not be driving to the south of France to visit his son - a sad end to a long tradition. In 2008 he featured in the local French paper for making the journey just before his hundredth birthday. He used to take 3 or 4 days, keeping off the péage and staying in small hotels in places he knew. And his doctor checked him over before each trip.
Edited by Andrew-T on 11/01/2010 at 23:33
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.............. the consensus is 3 years!
Never mind the concensus ~ get it straight from the horse's mouth! tinyurl.com/2bqhlh
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Thanks, he has been renewing every 3 years, so expects to do so again at 85. It may be that they have changed the form in the last 3 years, but he seemed to think it looked different this time - hence the question - are the requirements different once you get to 85?
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- hence the question -are the requirements different once you get to 85?
They don't appear to be any different once you get to 85, well not according to the DVLA information link given above.
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I think that older driver should have to undergo some form of verification of their fitness to drive. At the moment I understand that it is a self-certification type system which is open to abuse. My wife's uncle who is in his eighties is a menace on the roads with his poor eyesight, slow reactions and bad attitude, but keeps sending off his form every 3 years.
Drivers should at least have some sort of eyesight test along with a test on their reactions. Perhaps something similar to the hazard perception test taken by new drivers would fit the bill.
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It's recommended that everyone over the age of 40 should have their eyes tested at least every two years.
Edited by L'escargot on 12/01/2010 at 10:29
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Why stop at eyesight tests, why not have to take a full driving test every three years after the age of 70?
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Quote:..."Why stop at eyesight tests, why not have to take a full driving test every three years after the age of 70?"" Why stop there, even? Why don't all drivers have to retake the test every 3 years:))?
But seriously, I think there should be an upper age limit for driving - I'd set it at 90. After all, we have a minimum age limit, yet there are probably 15 year-olds who would be capable of being safe drivers.
I'd set the limit at 90 because: 1) Most people don't live to 90 anyway 2) Of those who do reach 90, most have given up driving and 3) of those over 90 who do still drive, most probably shouldn't be. Having an upper age limit for driving puts in peoples' minds more strongly the need to rearrange their lifestyles in good time so they can manage without a car when the time comes to give up.
Personally, I intend to give up driving at 85 (if I live that long), even if I'm still safe and capable.
Maybe we need a public information campaign, featuring elderly former racing drivers, motoring journalists etc. who have bitten the bullet and given up driving.
Edited by Sofa Spud on 12/01/2010 at 17:03
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Personally I intend to give up driving at 85 (if I live that long) even if I'm still safe and capable.
If you are safe and capable, why stop driving?
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I think there should be an upper age limit for driving - I'd set it at 90 ...
The problem with an arbitrary fixed age is that it is just that - arbitrary. It's hard enough setting an acceptable one for adolescents, when an age 'of discretion' can be chosen fairly accurately. For people on the way out, it might be anywhere from 70 to 100. Just consider those WW1 veterans who died recently at over 110 - they might have found 90 a mite unfair?
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Personally I intend to give up driving at 85 (if I live that long) even if I'm still safe and capable.
SQ
Please keep us posted about your intentions when you reach 84. I would guess that you are not quite there yet. :)
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 12/01/2010 at 19:22
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Why stop at eyesight tests why not have to take a full driving test every three years after the age of 70?
70 could be the retirement age before long.
Why not "have to take a full driving test every year up to the age of 25"?
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It's recommended that everyone over the age of 40 should have their eyes tested at least every two years.
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It should be a condition of having a license and another ANPR link but maybe used only after a stop for other reasons.
Why do people not understand the other benefit of an eye test ????
It is the only non intrusive examination of blood vessels. It can identify really serious health problems not just in connection with the eyes.
(Older non drivers get free tests but I suspect they are deterred at the thought that they may face a bill for expensive specs but will not just walk out after a test)
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I don't intend to give up driving at 85 or even faster, when road conditions invite it. I don't intend to give it up even when I am in my eighties, if spared that long with faculties more or less intact. So there.
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>>I don't intend to give up driving at 85 or even faster, when road conditions invite it. I don't intend to give it up even when I am in my eighties, if spared that long with faculties more or less intact. So there.
Sounds like an arbitrary cutoff age may be a good idea after all ...
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My suggestion of a retest at 70 and every three years thereafter, has not won universal support. Yet at the age of 70 everyone has to submit a declaration that they are fit to drive and renew said declaration every three years thereafter, so why not a test, or even just a medical?
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Cost and the fact it would make the government less popular than bin Laden.
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at the age of 70 everyone has to submit a declaration that they are fit to drive and renew said declaration every three years thereafter so why not a test or even just a medical?
It's not needed (or if it is, tests should be done across the age range). The whole world depends on trust - to cut a long story short - "I will not drink and drive", "I will not drive recklessly", "I am over 70 and fit to drive". Sanctions are applied to those who breach this trust.
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>>It's not needed (or if it is, tests should be done across the age range). The whole >>world depends on trust - to cut a long story short - "I will not drink and drive", "I will >>not drive recklessly", "I am over 70 and fit to drive". Sanctions are applied to those >>who breach this trust.
If this is the case, then why do HGV drivers need retesting, why do Aircraft Pilots need retesting?
Cost is no issue whatever as the tests would be self-financing.
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If this is the case then why do HGV drivers need retesting why do Aircraft Pilots need retesting?
If you'd care to start another thread (IHAQ, perhaps) about 85-year-old HGV drivers or commercial pilots....
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Lud sometimes medical conditions mean you have no choice :) Hopefully though you can carry on driving until you're too dangerious or like a lot of old people just physically cannot drive. My grandma decided to give up driving when every outing resulted in an insurance claim and I am not joking :(.
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The trouble with rules is that there are almost always exceptions to them. I know a 50 year old who has a full UK driving licence but from whom I would never accept a lift. Not because he is an aggressive driver but because he is just so frighteningly incompetent. Fortunately he drives painfully slowly so other road users have time to avoid him. Because he doesn't speed and can more or less remember not to drive through red lights he manages to keep a clean licence. Conversely, I know a 76 year old who is an excellent driver and I would be more than happy to be his passenger.
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 12/01/2010 at 19:46
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