Ah yes ... another government gem!

[U.Toadifact]

Get your medical appointments in early! This should cause mayhem.

Another sledgehammer to crack a nut?

WWW.opremethodsmeeting.org/new-uk-driving-license-rule-for-seniors-begins-august-2025

 

[Bustup15]

DVLA - New licence turned up within a week! 1 year on the C, 3 years on the rest.

 

[AJM2]

I don't think this is a wind up, I think it's another of the Government's tactics that they have used a few times, and that is, to start a rumour to gauge the reaction of the public.
IF the reaction is good, they will bring it into law.
IF it's going to lose them votes and support, it will be quietly dropped.

Every Govt uses those tactics, personally I can see the advantages and have first hand experiences of a number of older people who live around me who have not been fit to drive. One guy finally admitted he wasn’t fit when he drove his car through the back of the garage into his kitchen, 2 weeks after the kitchen had been refitted after the last time he did it! I don’t underestimate the effect of losing your ability to drive but it’s nothing to the impact on families of losing a loved one because someone was too selfish to admit they’re incapable. If this is a teaser by the Govt I’m all for it

 

[davejen]

I applied on 29th June to renew my licence on line.
Last Friday I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognise so I rejected it.
(I was at an appointment) A few minutes later my wife rang to say DVLA had rung and that they would ring again that afternoon.....It was about my application regarding my disability.
Needless to say they didn't ring back.
This morning I rang them and was put on a ringback.
This happened about half an hour later, I told the lady what had happened so she transferred me to the Medical section. 50 mins later someone picked the call up, asked me the usual DOB, Add ress etc and told me the licence had been done and should be with me in a few days!
Never asked if my arm had grown back or if I could bend my knee now....
If I had filled the form in I would have said my disability has not got better or worse,
this option is NOT on the on-line form.
DVLA at it's best or what?
Cheers, Dave

 

[Grianan]

Anecdotally drug use is widespread predominantly amongst younger drivers. I would suggest this makes them at least as dangerous as older drivers. I’m not sure what the solution is other than something like the ‘black box’ which monitors driving that newly qualified drivers often need to get insurance. Big brother …

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[Silver-Fox]

Anecdotally drug use is widespread predominantly amongst younger drivers. I would suggest this makes them at least as dangerous as older drivers. I’m not sure what the solution is other than something like the ‘black box’ which monitors driving that newly qualified drivers often need to get insurance. Big brother …

What’s better big brother or dead people

 

[gus-lopez]

T

They Don’t want the hoi polloi having the ability to get about, meet up and talk about things you shouldn’t.

That's no way to govern or run any type of council and they are best off just topped.

From what I’ve seen with the standard of some drivers I think they are giving licenses away with breakfast cereals

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Puddleduck]

In the countryside where I live, ones own transport is not a luxury, it is a necessity when the 3 buses stop running at 12.35 and the train station is 3 miles away.

We now have a bus most weekdays during termtime. It leaves the village at 10am, takes an hour to go the 6 or 7 miles (as the crow flies) to the nearest supermarket and leaves the supermarket at 11.30 and a further hour to get back. If the accessible bus is out of service then tough.

There is no way to use the bus to get to and from the GP or either the community hospital or the general hospital, even if you get an appointment at the correct time and everything is running to time.

Train station is 26 miles either west of you are going to Edinburgh or 26 miles east for the east coast main line. You can't get to the station and back the same day without car or taxi.

I no longer drive (my choice after illness) and can't condone people driving when they shouldn't but I do understand all too well how awful it is to have to stop driving and the resultant loss of independence.

 

[TheMobileWanderer]

From what I’ve seen with the standard of some drivers I think they are giving licenses away with breakfast cereals

And just like with tv 'quizzes', no purchase necessary!!

 

[L' Hobo]

DVLA - New licence turned up within a week! 1 year on the C, 3 years on the rest.

View attachment 1089722

That's ridiculous, thank goodness that class is superseded by the others!

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[L' Hobo]

Every Govt uses those tactics, personally I can see the advantages and have first hand experiences of a number of older people who live around me who have not been fit to drive. One guy finally admitted he wasn’t fit when he drove his car through the back of the garage into his kitchen, 2 weeks after the kitchen had been refitted after the last time he did it! I don’t underestimate the effect of losing your ability to drive but it’s nothing to the impact on families of losing a loved one because someone was too selfish to admit they’re incapable. If this is a teaser by the Govt I’m all for it

It is sad when someone is killed by someone who could have prevented it, just like those in poor health or others that steal cars and kill someone,

Most of this stealing is done by younger people, not the elderly.

If the complete younger group are not penalised, why should the complete group of elderly?

 

[the1andonly]

If this is real it is going to have a significant effect on time taken for renewal if you dont fit the perfect body scenario. Now I started my C1 renewal in Feb and its now over a month since I had an echocardiogram and no news from DVLA (they have the results) Should I apply for B licience before the x hits the fan. The D4 doctor in feb said i should have no aggravation apart from sight test for C1 (off to optician) was ok for car. If i apply for a B licience will the C1 application be stopped? from GOV website 30s ago

Vehicles you can drive​

No current driving entitlement held

If I dont get a C1 will i get a B or have to apply for that?

 

[L' Hobo]

If this is real it is going to have a significant effect on time taken for renewal if you dont fit the perfect body scenario. Now I started my C1 renewal in Feb and its now over a month since I had an echocardiogram and no news from DVLA (they have the results) Should I apply for B licience before the x hits the fan. The D4 doctor in feb said i should have no aggravation apart from sight test for C1 (off to optician) was ok for car. If i apply for a B licience will the C1 application be stopped? from GOV website 30s ago

Vehicles you can drive​

No current driving entitlement held

If I dont get a C1 will i get a B or have to apply for that?

My understanding is, as long as the DVLA has your licence, you can still drive those entitlements in the UK but not abroad.

 

[Jonno1103]

I think you’ll find 7.5t class C1 requires a medical every 3 years. Just done mine. Class C & CE however requires an annual medical.

I'm 57 and my newly passed C1E licence lasts for 5 years. I received my licence back within a week with an interesting twist... There's no (78) restriction as there is on my B & BE categories. Not that I have any intention of buying a manual 5t moho.

 

[Minxy]

I don't hear you complaining about the 100s of people Killed by either Drink or Drug Drivers who are obviously harder to catch & convict. Pick on the Owd Uns easier to penalise.....

It's not picking on old uns, it's actually meant to make it safer for everyone, it's not so easy to realise as you get older that your eyesight for instance is deteriorating gradually as you just adjust to it probably without realising it's getting too bad to drive.

In the countryside where I live, ones own transport is not a luxury, it is a necessity when the 3 buses stop running at 12.35 and the train station is 3 miles away.

Yes but only if it's safe for the person to keep driving.

I was surprised at my last renewal when I told dvla that I no longer needed glasses to drive that they believed me without requiring evidence. I could have sent my last optician's prescription showing I needed less than half a diopter correction after my cataract op.

That's the problem, self-certification is abused with no checks, hopefully any new changes brought in will ensure this can't happen anymore.

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[AJM2]

It is sad when someone is killed by someone who could have prevented it, just like those in poor health or others that steal cars and kill someone,

Most of this stealing is done by younger people, not the elderly.

If the complete younger group are not penalised, why should the complete group of elderly?

I don’t understand the logic of that argument. Stealing a car is dealt with by a separate set of laws and applies to young and old. This particular type of legislation should (if it ever arrives) try to ensure an elderly person on the road is at least physically fit to drive ie at a basic level they can clearly see an obstacle and are capable of avoiding it, and should even be getting in the drivers seat in the first place. My elderly neighbour has recently voluntarily given up her licence as she recognised she wasn’t capable of controlling a car. It will obviously impact her mobility but she was unselfish enough to recognise the time had come, she wasn’t safe enough to be on the road.

 

[jongood]

The strange thing with driving skills is everyone thinks they are a good driver and it's someone else that's the problem
Maybe we would be better with a revalidation test with the frequency increasing with age.

I've said many times on here that 5 yearly assessments for all would be a good idea, this is especially true of some of the later arrivals with little experience of roads like ours.

The US licensing authorities used to single out Indian nationals, requiring them to take a US driving test before allowing them to drive.

 

[The Wino]

I've said many times on here that 5 yearly assessments for all would be a good idea, this is especially true of some of the later arrivals with little experience of roads like ours.

The US licensing authorities used to single out Indian nationals, requiring them to take a US driving test before allowing them to drive.

You can drive for up to a year on a foreign driving license but you then have to take a UK test. We could require people from other countries to take a UK test before driving but it would then be perfectly reasonable for them to do likewise for UK drivers visiting them. I seem to recall from talking to people in France that they actually have a stricter test than in the UK and limits on driving for people who have newly passed.

 

[jongood]

You can drive for up to a year on a foreign driving license but you then have to take a UK test. We could require people from other countries to take a UK test before driving but it would then be perfectly reasonable for them to do likewise for UK drivers visiting them. I seem to recall from talking to people in France that they actually have a stricter test than in the UK and limits on driving for people who have newly passed.

Problem is that nobody is managing it, so the police regularly find people have been here over a year with a foreign licence and guess what, frequently after an incident of some kind. Imo it would make more sense to tie it to visa lengths.

 

[bobnick]

Having driven in many many countrys around the world including India, Pakistan, Italy, Thailand i think the overall standard of driving in the UK is much higher.
Tis a bit scary when drivers from above country's and others equally as bad are aloud to jump off a plane or come off a boat and drive amongst us.
Don't know the answer.

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[CazPaul]

I’m all for physical fitness tests for driving but what about the 20 year old who thought he was on a racetrack and killed, or should I say murdered Caroline’s aunty and her best friend as they were crossing the road, killing them both instantly such was the speed and impact.
So many witnesses came forward to say he was driving through Rotherham that day like a lunatic, out of jail in 6 months and no doubt back behind a wheel after his short ban.
Physically extremely fit person, how do we tackle those? Will a test come in for irresponsible nutters?

 

[Burge]

Having driven in many many countrys around the world including India, Pakistan, Italy, Thailand i think the overall standard of driving in the UK is much higher.
Tis a bit scary when drivers from above country's and others equally as bad are aloud to jump off a plane or come off a boat and drive amongst us.
Don't know the answer.

If that Boat is a Dingy....... Simples ... Don't let em in. ️

 

[L' Hobo]

I don’t understand the logic of that argument. Stealing a car is dealt with by a separate set of laws and applies to young and old. This particular type of legislation should (if it ever arrives) try to ensure an elderly person on the road is at least physically fit to drive ie at a basic level they can clearly see an obstacle and are capable of avoiding it, and should even be getting in the drivers seat in the first place. My elderly neighbour has recently voluntarily given up her licence as she recognised she wasn’t capable of controlling a car. It will obviously impact her mobility but she was unselfish enough to recognise the time had come, she wasn’t safe enough to be on the road.

I agree, it is poorly written, so I will try to elucidate.
What I was trying to say was, because I strongly believe that many drivers have poor eyesight ( and other medical problems), ANY ruling, should apply to ALL,not just to the elderly. That's ageism!

 

[Silver-Fox]

and should even be getting in the drivers seat in the first place

The same could be said of a younger person stealing a car and probably never took a test or held a license.

These youths drive without a care in the world.
Very low punishments given out and not their hard earned buy the vehicle.

Makes you wonder which is worse

 

[Silver-Fox]

You can drive for up to a year on a foreign driving license but you then have to take a UK test.

I wonder what the up take of that is??

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[Silver-Fox]

Having driven in many many countrys around the world including India, Pakistan, Italy, Thailand i think the overall standard of driving in the UK is much higher.
Tis a bit scary when drivers from above country's and others equally as bad are aloud to jump off a plane or come off a boat and drive amongst us.
Don't know the answer.

I find the standard of driving just before Birmingham going North on the M5 and just past it scary to be honest.

Four lanes available, little to no traffic and some persist in driving in lane 3 at around 65 mph.

The majority of the offender I’ve seen are Asian.
Although some African drivers have a similar approach as well.

 

[L' Hobo]

A lot of these problems could be solved IF drivers had to pick up their licences from a local office instead of through the post from Swansea. Then a eye test could be carried out before the issue.


The Government wants Local Councils to have more input into local business, why not start here?

 

[dunnah01]

If that Boat is a Dingy....... Simples ... Don't let em in. ️

Take your total lack of compassion somewhere else

 

[dunnah01]

I find the standard of driving just before Birmingham going North on the M5 and just past it scary to be honest.

Four lanes available, little to no traffic and some persist in driving in lane 3 at around 65 mph.

The majority of the offender I’ve seen are Asian.
Although some African drivers have a similar approach as well.

The 'Stay in Lane' signage is probably the reason why

 

[The Wino]

I agree, it is poorly written, so I will try to elucidate.
What I was trying to say was, because I strongly believe that many drivers have poor eyesight ( and other medical problems), ANY ruling, should apply to ALL,not just to the elderly. That's ageism!

The rulings should apply to them all but the frequency of testing should reflect the age groups in which things are more likely to deteriorate more quickly. That's not ageism its accepting reality the same as some medical conditions require extra tests.

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[bobnick]

The 'Stay in Lane' signage is probably the reason why

The LAW says differently