The Labour government is considering introducing cognitive tests for motorists aged over 70, alongside mandatory eyesight checks, as part of its Road Safety Strategy consultation.
The consultation was initially launched under the previous administration led by Sir Keir Starmer. Labour has confirmed that various policy options are being examined to improve safety outcomes for elderly drivers and other road users.
Mandatory eyesight testing for over-70s
The Road Safety Strategy states: "The government is consulting on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over age 70 and will develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers. These measures aim to reduce deaths and injuries involving older drivers, without unnecessarily restricting their mobility and personal freedom."
The government says it will continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs' Council to highlight the importance of regular police roadside eyesight tests for all drivers, ensuring that those who fail to meet the minimum eyesight standards will have their driving licence revoked by DVLA.
It adds: "The government will also continue to engage with the relevant regulatory bodies to highlight the importance of healthcare professionals notifying DVLA if their patient is unwilling or unable to notify."
Rising casualty rates among older drivers
According to the Department for Transport's most recent factsheet on older drivers, the number of killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties from collisions involving at least one car driver aged 70 or over has risen from 3,082 in 2004 to 3,451 in 2023. KSI casualty rates per billion miles driven increase from 18.8 for drivers aged 60–69 to 56.7 for those aged 70 and over, with the risk of fatal crashes per mile sharply increasing after the age of 80.
The International Longevity Centre (ILC) states: "While certain forms of dementia may affect visual perception and cognitive ability – potentially years before diagnosis – there is even less evidence about how dementia specifically affects driving capacity."
ILC's Driving in later life: options for reform (2011) recommends a proportionate approach – encouraging self-declaration of relevant conditions, backed by public awareness campaigns, and introducing cognitive screening only where concerns arise, rather than blanket mandatory testing by age. This avoids stigmatising safe drivers while still identifying those genuinely at risk.
Preserving freedoms while saving lives
Labour Party minister Lilian Greenwood previously stated: "We know driving can be very important for older people's wellbeing and help them to live independently, but we must also make sure everyone is safe on our roads."
She added: "As the country's older population grows, our plans in the first road safety strategy in more than a decade will preserve personal freedoms where possible with action to save lives."
