Families of elderly drivers issued new DVLA warning in bid to avoid ‘tragedies’

Family members of elderly drivers have been urged to make a simple change to avoid “tragedies” this autumn.

Nigel Lloyd Jones, a spokesperson for Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum, claims “difficult conversations” about road safety should never be avoided however difficult it could be.

Older drivers who suffer from medical conditions must inform the DVLA of any issues by law.

Furthermore, motorists who are willing to hand over their driving licence and stop driving must contact the DVLA themselves.

There is no mandatory testing service once drivers hit the age of 70 meaning the decision is completely down to drivers and their families.

This can lead to tetchy moments where elderly drivers can refuse to follow family advice to give up driving for fear of losing their freedom.

Potential arguments could prevent children, family members or friends from bringing up the issue which could be putting the older driver and others at severe risk.

Mr Lloyd-Jones issued the warning through Project EDWARD’s X account, formerly Twitter. He explained: “If you are concerned about an older driver then to avoid potential tragedies, do not avoid difficult conversations.

“Normalising family discussions about road safety can help older drivers make safe decisions about their driving, and bring peace of mind for all.”

According to GOV.UK, drivers who fail to report medical conditions to the DVLA could be slapped with hefty charges. Motorists could be issued a £1,000 fine and may have their car insurance policy invalidated.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the risk of being involved in a road accident increases after the age of 70.

Motorists above this age, and especially those over 80, are also more likely to be more likely to be at fault for accidents.

Last month Admiral Nurse Stuart Kennedy called for family members of those suffering from dementia to have the confidence to address fitness concerns.

He told Express.co.uk: “The frustration and the loss of independence and that palpable sense of loss for that person is something we often support people with but it’s the family that are affected by that.

“It may be the family is aware of the concern but the person with dementia is not and that puts them in a very difficult position for them to try and navigate that.

“A sense of how to manage that and how to have those conversations with the person who is being encouraged to give up driving. The reporting system does require the person themselves to report to DVLA as it does with other medical conditions.”