DVLA plans could force some drivers over 70 off the road at night

THE DVLA has been in talks with a driving charity that could see older drivers with certain medical conditions given a driving curfew and limits as to how far they may travel.

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First reported by the Sunday Times, the talks have been ongoing between the DVLA and driver’s charity Driving Mobility and could affect those over 70-years of age. It is reported that those over 70 who suffer from conditions such as insulin-treated diabetes, epilepsy, dementia, and Parkinson's disease, could be affected by the new measures.

These could entail having trackers fitted to their cars, restricting the hours that they can drive and in some instances the distances they will be able to travel.

Admittedly, this does at first sound like some Orwellian style of governance, although those involved are placing a more positive spin on the idea. They are claiming that for many road users, reaching a certain age and having one of the listed conditions could spell the end of a motorists' driving career, the new plan could actually extend their time on the roads, albeit restricted to certain hours of the day and within a designated distance from their home.

The chief executive of Driving Mobility, Edward Trewhella, said:

“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.

“That would mean that they were driving safely within their familiar environment.”

The new plan is just that at this time, and once the groundwork has been done there will likely be a call for evidence from the public and other industry stakeholders. We’ll be keeping an eye out for when that happens.