New research suggests thousands of elderly drivers could be on the roads illegally

Hundreds of thousands of elderly drivers could be on the roads illegally, new research has suggested. Motorists over the aged of 70 are supposed to renew their licence every three years under UK driving laws.

But more than one in four (27%) of those surveyed confessed to leaving it four years or longer, while around one in five (22%) weren’t even aware of the law requiring them to renew. Drivers are scrutinised much more closely once they reach 70 to ensure they are still fit to be on the roads and are not a hazard to others, with medical conditions and other ailments more likely to develop in later life.

Those who don’t renew on time are at risk of being fined up to £1,000 if they’re caught with out-of-date documentation. Department for Transport data showed there were 5.8 million drivers aged 70 years or older on UK roads in 2022, meaning there are likely to be thousands currently driving without the correct licence.

The findings were revealed following a survey of 500 drivers by Scrap Car Comparison. David Kottaun, operations manager at Scrap Car Comparison, said: “It’s been a shock to discover that so many motorists are not renewing their licenses following their 70th birthdays – and therefore leaving themselves no longer able to legally operate a vehicle, and at risk of receiving a big fine if caught.

“The DVLA should send drivers a D46P application form around 90 days before they turn 70 years old – however if you do not receive one through the post, paper copies of the form can be obtained from your local Post Office. Ultimately, the reason behind getting mature drivers to regularly renew their license is to ensure the safety of the drivers themselves, and everyone else on the roads.

“The renewal process is quick, easy and motorists can continue to drive while their license is being renewed as long as: they have the support of their doctor to continue driving, had a valid license and their last license wasn’t revoked or refused for medical reasons – so there is no excuse to not be regularly renewing this documentation.”