Elderly drivers to face 'on-road assessment schemes' in new plans to 'review' safety rules

The Road Safety Trust highlighted how elderly drivers are more likely to be impacted by declining eyesight, reduced levels of flexibility, cognitive or memory decline, and increased medication use.

Because of this, a number of local authorities have rolled out on-road assessment schemes that aim to support them to drive safer for longer.

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While experts are pleased with the progress of some schemes, there are hopes that a standardised approach would help improve safety and make drivers more confident.

A pilot project will be rolled out over the coming years, with the five groups working to ensure that the findings inform future measures.

Jamie Hassall, executive director of the PACTS, said: “Evaluating road safety interventions is a cornerstone of ensuring we are making positive progress and being able to demonstrate best practice so it can be shared, and the benefits delivered nationally and internationally.

“Thanks to The Road Safety Trust we have pulled together a team of experts to undertake a review of this work supporting older drivers to continue to safely use the roads.”

The project has been awarded £104,050 in funding and is due to be completed in 2027 after taking place in five different areas of the country.

Older motorists are able to take a voluntary driving assessment involves them driving in their local area with an assessor.

The test is described as "informal and confidential" and will see drivers receive a report about their driving and what steps they could take to improve their ability on the road.

It does not include any medical assessments or further advice as drivers are encouraged by the Older Drivers Forum to ask their workplaces to see if they can arrange an assessment or training course for them.

Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said organisations were constantly working to improve conditions for elderly drivers and boost safety for all road users.

Similarly, Dr Carol Hawley, honorary research fellow at the University of Warwick Medical School, outlined how she and Ian Edwards of New View Consultants would be conducting the assessments.

She said they would gather views of drivers receiving the assessment, as well as those of the instructors and administrators.

This will guarantee a range of measures to determine the "acceptability, utility and feasibility of this standardised approach and the effects on road safety outcomes".

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Data from the RAC Foundation shows that there are more than 1.65 million driving licence holders over the age of 80 in Great Britain.

This age group now makes up around four per cent of all licence holders in the country, with almost six million people over the age of 70, including 510 of the age of 100.