Those in the 80 and over category now make up four percent, or one in 25, of all drivers on the road, based on RAC Foundation data.
Once a driver reaches 70 years of age, their driving licence expires and needs to be renewed every three years.
At these intervals, elderly drivers will have the chance to update their medical history with the DVLA, informing them of any major changes which could affect their ability.
No matter how old a driver is, there aren’t any formal requirements like health or eye checks which can determine whether a driver can obtain a licence.
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The data found that there are almost six million people over the age of 70 with a full licence, with 510 drivers being over the age of 100.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, commented on the data, saying older drivers are generally more aware of their motoring ability.
Oftentimes, they will choose when to drive, depending on their own condition, usually driving when it is light outside and when weather conditions are optimal.
He added: “The challenge is that as we age our bodies become more frail, so older people caught up in collisions tend to suffer worse injuries – something car designers should have at the front of their mind.
There is now a “strong case” for making eye tests compulsory, according to the RAC Foundation, although this should apply for all drivers.
There are some concerns that this could lead to a backlog of eye test and some drivers may also be put off by the cost of an eye test, especially during the cost of living crisis.
Some road safety experts have recently questioned whether there should be a cutoff point for drivers of a certain age, potentially 70.
Paul Britton, criminal defence lawyer, spoke on Good Morning Britain about elderly drivers being more at risk of collisions than other age groups.
He suggested that as people get older, factors like vision and reaction time could become slower, making them more dangerous on the roads.
One frustrated driver slammed the idea of banning motorists from driving once they reach the age of 70, saying: “Never heard such rot in my life.”
They continued, saying: “I have an uncle who’s 93 and a better driver than any 50-year-old, let alone 70.
“Eye tests and even driving tests should be introduced for anyone over 65, in fact when applying for new licence there is only a need to make a declaration that you’re fit to drive, I’ve never agreed with that.”
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