Labour has faced mounting pressure to overhaul driving licence requirements for the over-70s following a string of deadly crashes involving motorists with poor eyesight.
Earlier this year, the Department for Transport launched a public consultation examining whether compulsory eye tests should become part of the licence renewal process for drivers aged 70 and above.
Road safety campaigners and automotive industry figures have called for more urgent action, arguing that the existing framework relies too heavily on individuals honestly reporting their own visual impairments.
The consultation, which closes on May 11, comes after high-profile fatal accident inquiries in Scotland and coroner’s inquests in England raised serious questions about whether current self-declaration rules adequately protect the public from drivers with dangerously poor vision.
Critics have warned that the current system places excessive faith in motorists to acknowledge their own limitations.
Darren Miller from BigWantsYourCar.co.uk said: “This is a system built on trust, but unfortunately, not everyone acts responsibly when it comes to their own limitations.
“When someone is told they’re unfit to drive and chooses to ignore that advice, the risks aren’t just personal. They affect everyone on the road.”
At present, motorists must demonstrate they can read a registration plate from 20 metres, yet no formal vision assessments are mandated after passing the initial driving test.
The Government is currently consulting on tougher driving licence rules for older drivers
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GETTYMr Miller added: “Eyesight can decline gradually, and without regular checks, people may not even realise how unsafe they have become behind the wheel.”
The scale of the challenge is substantial, with more than 6.3 million drivers aged 70 and over currently holding full licences in Great Britain, which is projected to approach seven million by 2030.
In 2024, approximately 24 per cent of all car drivers killed on British roads were aged 70 or older, while 1,224 older motorists were killed or seriously injured.
A roadside screening survey conducted by police forces across England and Wales tested 3,010 drivers, finding that 1.7 per cent failed the number plate test outright.
The consultation will look at pushing older drivers to have mandatory eyesight checks
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GETTYShockingly, the failure rate climbed dramatically among the oldest motorists, with 10.2 per cent of those aged 81 to 90 unable to pass the basic vision check.
Several European nations have already implemented compulsory vision assessments as standard practice for older motorists.
Spain requires drivers to undergo medical examinations, including eye tests, every two years once they reach 70, while Italian motorists over that age must obtain a medical certificate with vision testing every three years.
The Department for Transport is weighing multiple approaches, including whether tests should occur every three years in line with existing licence renewals or more frequently as drivers age further.
Drivers must be able to read a registration plate from 20 metres away to travel on UK roads | MERSEYSIDE POLICE
Officials are also considering who should administer such assessments, with options ranging from NHS opticians to bespoke testing centres staffed by trained non-clinical personnel.
“Simple measures like routine eye tests tied to licence renewal could save lives,” Mr Miller stated. “It’s not about punishing drivers. It’s about preventing tragedies that should never happen in the first place.”
Minister for Local Transport Lilian Greenwood acknowledged the difficulty of striking an appropriate balance between road safety and personal mobility.
She said: “We need to ensure older drivers can continue to drive safely as long as they are fit and healthy to do so.”