The perception that age itself is a significant factor in road safety “persists as an ageist stereotype which proposed new legislation risks embedding”. So argues Natalie Turner, deputy director of homes and communities at the Centre for Ageing Better. Asking whether mandatory eye tests for over 70s are justified by facts – a change recently out for consultation – she notes that research from the International Longevity Centre and others show that while fatalities and serious injuries involving drivers in that age group have increased slightly over the last decade, the numbers still remain much lower than younger people. “There was no evidence put forward in the government consultation that implementing these changes or singling out a specific age group would significantly reduce accidents or casualties, even from countries where this may have already been tested. The thrust of the government’s argument seems to be that the UK system is more relaxed than most – but that in itself is not an argument for a policy targeting a very specific group of people. Particularly if we don’t know if it will achieve the desired result of reduced traffic accidents and reduced traffic casualties.” And she asserts that, alongside questions over age and safety, the potential impact of an increased number of older people giving up driving must also be taken into account.
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