Elderly drivers to be tackled under new strategy from IAM

Simon Best, the chief executive of IAM, has recently stated that a new strategy needs to be introduced which will deal with elderly drivers. He has said that the number of elderly people on the roads is at a higher level than ever before and the need for an improved strategy has never been more apparent.

He stated, “Driving is essential for old people as it gives them an amount of mobility that they could not get through the public transport system. However, it is important to realise that older people can become more dangerous on the roads. We don’t want to restrict their mobility in any way, but we do want to make sure that there are driving assessments which will ensure that there are no compelling reasons for keeping them off the roads.”

In the last 30 years the number of people over 70 who hold a driver’s license has increased significantly. Furthermore, there is a problem that the number of road accidents associated with old people has not fallen significantly, unlike the figures for the rest of the population.

The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety have commented, “It is not going to be possible for all people to have their licenses just taken away, but we are going to have to develop a strategy that will help to deal with how old people drive.”

A report by the Advisory Council stated that it is going to be important to identify old people who pose a risk to others on the road. It is essential that they are subject to regular health checks to make sure that they have both the mental and physical fitness to be behind the wheel. The director of the Council has stated, “The elderly do need driver’s licenses, but we need to consider the safety of others on the road as well.”