Individuals Over 70 May Be Required to Leave UK Roads If They Do Not Pass This Test | Carscoops

      Authorities may also heighten the criminal penalties for operating a vehicle without insurance.

      6 hours ago

      by Brad Anderson

      The UK is set to implement more stringent road safety regulations, including mandatory eye examinations for older drivers.

      The permissible alcohol limit for driving may be reduced to align with Scotland and the rest of Europe.

      Accidents involving drivers over 60 that result in death or severe injury have increased by 47 percent.

      Drivers aged 70 and above in the UK may soon be required to undergo mandatory eye tests every three years in order to continue driving. This new initiative will coincide with numerous other alterations to road safety legislation aimed at decreasing fatalities and serious injuries on local roads.

      As part of these proposals, UK officials are considering enforced eye tests for those over 70, who currently must renew their licenses every three years. At present, the UK is one of only three European countries that allows drivers to self-report eyesight issues affecting their driving. Senior drivers who do not pass the eye examinations would be prohibited from driving.

      According to The Times, the number of drivers over the age of 60 involved in collisions resulting in fatalities or serious injuries has surged by 47 percent since 2010.

      Strengthening drink-driving regulations

      Government officials also aim to curtail incidents related to drink-driving, which have increased over the past decade, reaching a 13-year peak in 2022. To achieve this, the drink-driving threshold in England and Wales could be lowered from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms. This change would align England and Wales with Scotland and the rest of Europe.

      Expanding police authorities

      Other potential adjustments may be made. For instance, police could be empowered to prosecute drug-driving using roadside saliva tests as valid evidence, instead of relying solely on blood tests. Additionally, penalties for driving without insurance might be escalated to address the rising issue of ghost plates that are unreadable by automatic number-plate recognition cameras.

      “It is in everyone's best interest to improve road safety and substantially reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries,” stated AA president Edmund King. “In nations like Australia and Canada, the implementation of new measures to support young drivers has led to reductions in fatalities and serious injuries by between 20 percent and 40 percent. Therefore, if the UK program achieves similar outcomes, it is estimated that at least 58 lives and 934 serious injuries could be prevented annually.”