Drivers aged over 70 could soon face being taken off the road if they fail mandatory eyesight tests.

The Government’s plans aim to improve road safety and reduce deaths and serious injuries.

These are part of the new Road Safety Strategy that is set to be published in the coming months.

Seeing ahead

Ministers are preparing a consultation on introducing compulsory eye tests for motorists in England and Wales once they reach 70, the age at which drivers are currently required to renew their licence every three years.

The proposals form part of a wider overhaul of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy, the first significant update in more than a decade.

Alongside eyesight checks, officials are also exploring whether cognitive tests should eventually be introduced for older drivers.

Government sources stress that these ideas are still at an early stage and are not yet part of a formal consultation.

However, work is underway to understand what kinds of assessments could reliably measure cognitive ability, such as memory or reading-based “table top” tests, and how often they might be needed.

Accountability

At present, drivers are expected to self-report medical conditions, including dementia, to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

The DVLA then decides whether a licence should be granted based on medical evidence, questionnaires and, in some cases, a driving assessment.

Critics argue the system relies too heavily on individuals recognising and declaring conditions that may themselves impair judgement or insight.

Need for change

The renewed focus on eyesight follows a stark warning from a senior coroner last year, who described existing legal eyesight standards for older drivers as “ineffective and unsafe”.

This intervention came after four people were killed in separate incidents involving drivers whose eyesight had significantly deteriorated.

In the coroner’s summing up, a worrying decline in the number of motorists self-reporting medical conditions between 2019 and 2023 was highlighted.

HM senior coroner for Lancashire, Dr James Adeley, drew particular attention to dementia, noting that drivers with “mild to moderate” cognitive impairment had continued driving despite clear warning signs.

In one fatal case, the driver had attended A&E twice with symptoms of cognitive decline but remained on the road.

Dementia affects around half a million people in the UK, yet the DVLA has been notified of only about 30,000 drivers with the condition, suggesting widespread underreporting.

Ageing ability

Figures from the Department for Transport underline the scale of the issue.

In 2024, around 24% of drivers killed on UK roads were aged over 70.

Collisions involving older drivers accounted for 12% of all casualties in car crashes.

While older motorists tend to drive fewer miles and are often safer on a per-mile basis, age-related declines in vision, reaction time and cognition can increase risk, particularly at junctions and in complex traffic situations.

The UK is currently one of only three European countries that relies entirely on self-declared visual fitness to drive, rather than routine testing.

Road safety groups have long argued that this puts both older drivers and other road users at risk.

Announcing the plans, local transport minister Lilian Greenwood said driving plays a vital role in helping older people stay independent and socially connected.

“But,” she added, “we must also make sure everyone is safe on our roads.”

The Government hopes the revamped Road Safety Strategy will reduce deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035, and by 70% for children under 16.

For many campaigners, mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers is seen as a long-overdue step towards that goal.

Ensuring safer roads

Another proposed change in the new Road Safety Strategy is to double the fine for uninsured driving.

Drivers caught driving without insurance currently face a fine of £300 and six penalty points, but that is set to increase to £600 as part of the Government’s new Road Safety Strategy.

It is also hoped that the new stricter measures around uninsured driving will help tackle the cost of motor insurance, with up to 300,000 uninsured drivers on UK roads costing the UK economy £2.4bn annually.

Greenwood said: “Our Road Safety Strategy sends a clear message; if you drive uninsured, you will face the consequences.

“Driving without insurance is not a victimless crime; it pushes up the cost of premiums for the law-abiding majority, and when uninsured drivers are involved in crashes, innocent road users are left facing an uphill battle to get the compensation they deserve.

“That’s why we are taking decisive action to remove uninsured drivers from our roads, to keep our roads safe, and ensure those who flout the rules are held accountable.”

Targeting safety

The Road Safety Strategy will include a series of measures to crack down on motoring offences and improve road safety.

Research, conducted by WSP and the University of Loughborough, completed on behalf of the DfT, found that road safety targets and a national strategy play an important role in reducing fatalities.