
Drivers who are over the age of 70 who suffer from poor health could be allowed to continue driving if they abide by a nighttime ban and stick to their local area.
The new proposals are being discussed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Driving Mobility, according to the Sunday Times.
The newspaper reports that the talks come as data shows an increase in the number of over-70s driving on the road, doubling in the last 25 years.
Under the current system, licences expire when a driver turns 70.
The driver must then inform DVLA of any medical conditions like diabetes, dementia, Parkinson’s or epilepsy as well as any condition that affects the eyes in order to keep driving.
The new proposals would allow over-70s with ill health to be eligible for a “graduate driving licence” which could restrict them to a 20 to 30 mile-radius from home, according to the Sunday Times.
The scheme could also reportedly ban them from driving after dark.
Edward Trewhella, chief executive of Driving Mobility, told the newspaper: “A lot of older drivers stick within their own locality — they go to the shop, the doctor’s surgery, go and see a granddaughter down the road, probably on minor roads with which they are familiar.”
