More than one million drivers over the age of 80 on British roads

Hey c'mon, everyone is different. I'm 66, play drums in a classic rock band and sing in another. I ave a motor-camper which I have been driving all over Europe since the 70s (not the same one) and a classic MGF, as well as a 'runabout'. I have NCB into infinity. I would be very offended by any interference in my right to drive.

I am 69 and would be having a poor quality of life without my car. I am in good health and can afford it and the insurance etc, so why not? Some youngsters spend their early teens mucking about (I see them on the way to and from school) and then they get a licence but still muck about, this time on the road. The result is often a shrine at the roadside........It is NOT the oldies that need controlling. The young should be required to drive alone or with adults over 25. This would eliminate the show-off element to their dozey mates.

Todays Driving instructors should teach these young inexperienced drivers a lot more road sense than they do - especially young girls whose car's only have two gears - Flat out and Stop -tearing around local housing extates on the mobile going to collect the kids from school and who have no idea when they should give way to other traffic, diving out in front of other speeding motorists. I know I see it every day when I am going out to every day to work

It's OK moaning about OAP's medical conditions - but how many younger folk are driving and using illegal substances ..... Those who complain about slower drivers obviously haven't yet got the hang of overtaking ....sad lot.

We shouldn't sterotype older drivers, yes there are the ones that get everyone frustrated and should be off the roads, but there are also competant ones who are good drivers.

I agree a refresher test at 70 and perhaps again every 5 years, rules change and so do we it's never a bad thing to refresh our knowledge occansionally. By the way if you're driving at any age from 93 down you will have taken a UK driving test as they were compulsory from 1st June 1935 and for all drivers who started driving on or after 1st April 1934 and the pass rate was higher then than it is now.

Really cannot understand the thumbs-downers on some pretty sensible comments. Hmmmmm, wonder who they might be?

and not one of them should be

Well how else are they gonna get to work. According to the G'vmnt!

Just remember if you are hit by a car doing 20 mph you stand a better chance of survival than if the car is doing 30/ 40 mph, now ask yourself who is more likely to be doing 20 mph in a densely built up area, a teenager in his hot hatch or the 80 year old in his pristine polished morris minor,, a no brainer....

Murdock. They all have new cars because the bloody well worked all there lives and saved for them. As for Tootling Around David....Just check the speed limit next time you are tailgating an old fart.
The other thing....I bet 99% are insured unlike a lot of younger drivers.
Have a bit of respect everyone. You will be old one day.

Here we go.. here it begins.. " get all older drivers off the road".. Ive got a better idea get all the boy racers and the aggressive 4 x 4 drivers off the road.. and the roads would be a much more pleasant place. GET THE AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS OFF THE ROAD.. NOT THE OLDER DRIVERS.

i am nearly 90 and need a car more than when i was young enough to walk or pushbike around. people who say"they shouldn't be on the road " will oneday find out for themselves if they can live through the "i'm sterling moss"phase.

1,012,399. Every time an elderly driver gets in the news, we get into the same conversation! When you reach a certain age a license only lasts 3 years at a time. So a better chance of them being vetted fit rather than every 10 years for everyone else.

I am all for equal rights as long as every factor is taken into consideration. I think it is hard to discriminate between an elderly person with reduced hearing for instance and a young person with the music so loud they couldn't hear around them either. As long as people are retested AT ANY AGE if their competence is in ANY question then that is fair. My father for instance (82) has never even taken a driving test as the army taught him and he is a shocking driver and has been all his life - young and old can be shocking drivers. Removing peoples independence is just cruel.

My goodness, what a bigotted lot you are! Some of the comments here are just beyond the pale. Not everyone is senile just because of age. I shall be 70 this year and I still work full time running my own design practice as a Structural Engineer, often putting in 10 or 12 hours a day. I also Chair an active camera club and go out on wildlife photography shoots. I have 54 years driving experience on motorcycles as well as cars. For many years I drove in competion motor sport, rallying and the like. I can still see OK and my attention span is better than a goldfish.....so for goodness sake stop tarring everyone with the same brush. As you out there mature, you will begin to realise that you do not actually get older in your head, so give us a break, we are not just fit for rocking chairs, nurses and retirement homes.......lol.

My father decided himself to finish driving (he was aged 80 and his WW2 war injuries were starting to really kick in). I was surprised when friends said to me 'You are so lucky - my father should not really be driving but he won't listen to us'
With driving it is not age - a considerate, polite person is a considerate polite driver.
A workmate's father (who, it must be said, was a bit of a twit) said 'As I have a Volvo I do go through lights at red as I am safe and I don't care about any other drivers' He was gobsmacked when I said 'But what if you hit another Volvo!'

I am 68 and I still work, and need my car to go to work. If I could not drive, I could not work. I commute via the M25 and the worst drivers are lorry drivers with EU plates.

probably safer than most younger drivers dont be ageist

i'll guess they are the ones who will pay their tax and insurance, good for them keep it up.