A road safety group has encouraged older drivers to take regular eyesight tests and driving assessments to ensure they are safe to stay behind the wheel.
The advice comes from specialists at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), who stated that drivers in their mid-70s “start having problems” on the road. They added that motorists are often more fragile and at a greater risk of serious injury if they’re involved in an accident once they pass 75.
Drivers are statistically more likely to be killed or injured on the road after the age of 70, based on official figures. There were a total of 487 road fatalities in 2023, 122 of which were older drivers, equal to around a quarter of all deaths on the country’s roads.
According to statistics from the Department for Transport, a further 1,137 drivers over 70 picked up serious injuries, out of 7,331 across the whole country.
The RoSPA stressed that motorists don’t need to stop driving just because they’ve hit a certain age. However, they’re encouraging older motorists to stay safe by getting frequent eye tests with an optician, regular driving assessments with an independent expert and medical advice for any new conditions or medication.
The RoSPA states: “There is no set age to retire from driving. We all age differently and as long as we are fit and safe, there is nothing to stop us continuing to drive into old age. At the age of 70, you are no more at risk of being involved in a collision than any other group. In fact, younger drivers are at a higher risk on our roads.
“However, research has shown that in their mid-70s, drivers sometimes start to have problems assessing complex or high-speed traffic situations. Fragility increases with age, so if older people are involved in a collision, their injuries tend to be more serious, and recovery takes much longer.”
To keep up to date with the latest road safety news, remember to regularly check the Anglo Liners blog, or click here for a free road marking quote.