Overview

• Department for Transport data show drivers aged 70 and above accounted for 22% of UK road deaths in 2024, with 352 fatalities and 10,038 casualties.
• Heidi Alexander said she is open to evidence for mandatory health and vision tests for over-70 licence-holders as part of a road safety strategy due later this year.
• Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley issued a prevention of future deaths report after investigating four fatal collisions involving elderly drivers with deteriorating eyesight.
• Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure launched 'Keep Yourself Right' and 'Time to Talk' campaigns to encourage older motorists to declare health and vision problems.
• An optician-led petition urges biennial eye examinations for elderly drivers after estimating that 1.8 million UK motorists currently fail to meet legal sight standards.