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[Mr Skrunts]

Over-70s should not be penalised for running red lights, experts say

Why not?

[Mr Skrunts]

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/driving-law/over-70s-should-not-be-penalised-for-running-red-lights-experts-say/?cid=eml-AC058_CHUB_CARSINS-CHUB_INSUR_A_W1_20211207_204526&utm_medium=email&utm_source=AC058_CHUB_CARSINS&utm_campaign=CHUB_INSUR_A_W1_20211207_204526&omhide=true&contactURN=52310090&hasBreakdown=true

[TD]

Reading all the article, I think its a good idea, either pay the £100 fine or go on a course....if they choose the later and cannot pass the course, the dvla is notified and its upto them whether to suspend their licence or not.......

[Varche]

Having gone through the pain of getting three aged relatives in the UK to stop driving ( including my dad) , there has got to be something. I still favour the five year ability tests from age 65 that other countries have. These cover physical co ordination, eyesight, hearing and general health.

[Mr Skrunts]

The rules are the rules though, so why a rule for one and not all.

So if this were to be allowed then what happens when an 18 year grandson goes though a red light driving granps car and when the summons arrives the reply will be "Gramps was driving"

[Rangie]

You break the law you face the consequences, end of.

[Mr Skrunts]

The Older Drivers Task Force says assessments of driving skills should be offered to all motorists aged 70 and above in the UK who are caught committing offences – instead of facing legal penalties.

Good idea, but I would have thought it better applied to stop the offence rather than after it.

[Mr Skrunts]

You break the law you face the consequences, end of.

Even the emergency services have to abide by the law, yes they go through the red lights but normaly slow down and check traffic conditions 1st but if they cause an accident they are held responsible for it.

[Rangie]

Only yesterday I had a very elderly driver almost reverse into the front of my Range Rover, there was a gap next to me but he was "guessing" where it was , his eyesight must have been atrocious I had to sound my horn 3 times to get him to stop & eventually he drove away he obviously should not have been driving at all.

[addy]

I think that when you apply, to renew your licence. There should be some sort of compulsory assesment done then Especially the way the way the driving test is now. That way all age groups are assesed and hopefully the ones that shouldn't be on the road are caught. Also some sort of refresher course, for everyone. I know that people say they don't have bad driving habits, but I am sure if they stopped to think, they have. I am not far off 60 and live in a village that has a bus turn up when it feels like it. But if I no longer feel happy driving or am told through my suggestion I cann't drive, then I will surrender my licence.

[Varche]

But that is the problem. The elderly person may well have been accident free all their life, learnt how to double declutch etc etc. They still feel they are great drivers. This will come to us all given time. We will make adjustments. E.g. no driving in the dark, avoid rush hour as it is full of maniacs , only drive known routes , avoid routes with right turns, only go to places where you can drive foreards into a parking place and drive forwards out of it. I would go so far as to say quite a few of us on here do some of those already…..

[johnnydog]

Reading all the article, I think its a good idea, either pay the £100 fine or go on a course....if they choose the later and cannot pass the course, the dvla is notified and its upto them whether to suspend their licence or not.......

The basic principle has been around in a different guise for years. If an elderly driver was involved in a road accident, where their eyesight (after the no. plate reading test) or driving ability was believed to be the cause, and the offender declined to voluntarily surrender their driving licence at the time, the Police would often then prosecute them for S.3 Driving Without Due Care with the ultimate aim that rather getting a fine and points (which usually meant they continued driving), the Court would disqualify them from driving until they passed a test , simply as a back door method of getting them off the road. The chances of them actually passing a driving test was quite slim.

[redelitev6]

  My Dad drove way longer than he should have done , but you have to remember that driving is the last bit of independence many elderly people have , you can understand the reluctance to give up driving , and don't forget we'll be in that age group sometime ( many of us sooner than later , old gits ! )

[Rangie]

My Father in law said he would surrender his licence when he reached 80 years of age and he did just that, I will do the same.

[STEMO]

This is brought up on a regular basis, nothing ever happens, nor should it. This 'going through a red light' used as an example, I see people chancing their arm most days, and they're not elderly. The only way people would be caught going through a red light is if they caused an accident by doing it and the police attended. There are very few no traffic police around here.
There is a cafe adjacent to a zebra crossing on the main road here. People park on the zig zags to pop in. When I was younger that was a hanging offence. I saw a works van parked on them yesterday and two coppers in a corsa just drove past, never batted an eyelid. That is the state of road policing in this country.
I notice there was no input from police or government in that article, it would cost too much and it would further isolate the elderly rural population. They can't even fund social services properly to stop kids being murdered FFS.