UK Driving Age Restrictions

Driving has no upper age limit in the UK. Though this is the case, there are restrictions based on certain conditions and checks put in place to try and ensure that drivers remain safe as they age. In this column, we examine some of these rules.

Though anyone who’s passed their test can legally hold a driving licence (unless they’ve been banned or restricted by Court order), drivers who hit age 70 must review their licence by law. It’s not necessary to take a driving test again and it’s a free process via the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency).

Why is there no upper age limit in the UK?

Put simply, no two cases are alike – whilst many people who hit seventy have unfortunate medical conditions which prevent them from driving altogether, just as many or more people at this time of life may be as fit and healthy as they were when they were half that age.

Conditions the DVLA needs informing about

Whilst some conditions aren’t at all compatible with driving, many simply require controlling and reporting to the DVLA. A comprehensive list of conditions can be found on their website, including:

• Agoraphobia
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Seizures
• Vertigo

So long as your condition is managed and doesn’t inhibit your ability to drive, your age is irrelevant.

When might it be advisable for an elderly motorist to stop driving?

Though it’s no guarantee that an elderly person will have any condition at all that prevents them from being a safe and responsible driver, there are of course ones that are far more likely to affect an elderly person than a younger one. Such conditions can include:

• Dementia
• Heart problems
• Memory Loss
• Parkinson’s Disease

Non-disclosure of listed conditions could both invalidate your insurance policy and incur a fine of £1,000 from the DVLA.

What rules apply to eyesight?

Again – eyesight can be a problem at any time of life, though it’s probably more likely to be worse in the elderly. It is required that you can read a car licence plate, manufactured after September 2001, from 20.5 metres away. This is fine with or without glasses or contact lenses, as long as it can be clearly made out.

Field of vision must be at least decent, with an acuity of at least 0.5 on the Snellden scale. Lorry and bus drivers must have a visual acuity of 0.8.

Voluntary Surrender of Licence

If you decide for whatever reason that you no longer wish to drive, or a medical professional has advised you not to do so, this can be done at any time by filling in this form and posting it back alongside your licence to the DVLA.

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Article by Stuart Jones