Drivers aged 70 and over would be required to pass mandatory eyesight tests every three years under new proposals backed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham as part of a road safety strategy. The plans, announced in February, aim to ensure older motorists remain safe behind the wheel.
Background and support
The proposals follow growing calls for tougher safety checks after a number of fatal crashes involving elderly motorists in recent years. This includes the deaths of Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, who were knocked down by a short-sighted driver on Lulworth Road in Southport in November 2021.
Glyn Jones, 67, had been told more than 10 years earlier that he had a degenerative eye condition which meant his vision was "well below the standard required" to be driving. He admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven years and four months in January 2024.
Family reaction
Marie's children Sue Rimaitis, Terry Cunningham, Lynn Cunningham and Steve Cunningham welcomed the proposals but said they did not go far enough. They said licences should only be renewed by the DVLA when a certification of eyesight ability has been signed by a registered optometrist, and dated not more than six months before renewal.
Currently, motorists are required to renew their driving licence at the age of 70 and every three years after that. Drivers are expected to self-declare any medical conditions that could affect their ability to drive, but there is nothing preventing them from choosing not to do this.
Calls for wider testing
Speaking about the new proposals earlier this year, Marie Cunningham's daughter Sue said the eye tests should be extended to include younger drivers every 10 years, as "people suffer from deteriorating eyesight at all ages".
She said: "This new road safety strategy is a step in the right direction, but the suggested changes don’t go far enough. The consultation period has to take in views on introducing mandatory sight tests for all drivers every 10 years from the general public and road safety organisations. This should not be about the over 70s only.
“People suffer from deteriorating eyesight at all ages throughout their lives due to many conditions which can only be picked up by regular eye testing by a professional. Glyn Jones was 65 when he killed our mum and Grace. Proof of a sight test should be included in the application to renew licences also. Jones was repeatedly told not to drive over a period of 10 years he ignored those warnings and was reissued his licence. Our mum, and Grace, paid the ultimate price.”
Online reaction
The proposals have caused uproar online, as some social media users falsely claimed pensioners would have to retake their full driving test every three years. One X user wrote: "I've just written to my MP about Burnham's plans for over 70s to take a driving test every three years. I am totally incensed about it on so many levels." However, a community note attached to the post clarified that the proposals relate to mandatory eyesight tests, rather than full driving tests.
