Motorists aged over 70 in England and Wales could be banned from driving if they fail compulsory eye tests under a proposed overhaul of driving laws.
The plans, part of a new road safety strategy due this autumn, also include lowering the drink-driving limit to match Scotland’s stricter rules and introducing penalty points for passengers who fail to wear seatbelts. Ministers believe current safety campaigns are failing and that stronger measures are needed.
The proposals follow an inquest into four deaths caused by drivers with poor eyesight, in which a coroner labelled the UK’s licensing system the “laxest in Europe.” The UK is one of just three European countries that rely on drivers to self-report vision problems that could affect their driving ability.
Under the changes, motorists over 70 would have to pass an eye test every three years when renewing their driving licence. The transport secretary is also considering mandatory checks for conditions such as dementia.
Drink-driving proposals
The government also plans to tighten the drink-drive limit from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath to 22 micrograms, in line with Scotland’s limit introduced in 2014. While research found no measurable impact on accident rates, it did increase public opposition to drink driving.
Other measures include allowing police to use roadside saliva tests alone as evidence for drug-driving prosecutions, replacing the current need for blood tests.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones described the package as “the biggest shake-up to UK driving laws in decades,” but emphasised the proposals are still under consultation. She rejected calls for graduated licences for young drivers, arguing they could unfairly discriminate against them, though she said the government “will keep everything under review.”
Currently, drivers over 70 must renew their licence every three years and declare any eyesight problems affecting both eyes (or the remaining eye if they have only one). This excludes short-sightedness, long-sightedness, and colour blindness.
