Learning to drive after your 17th birthday rolls around is an exciting milestone in life – but is there an age where it’s time to give up getting behind the wheel?
On Thursday (17 Jan), The Duke of Edinburgh, aged 97, was involved in a two-vehicle crash close to the Sandringham Estate. While no-one was injured, the incident did spark the question as to whether anyone should still be driving in their later years.
Is there an upper age driving limit?
In the UK, your driving licence expires once you reach the age of 70, although there is no law that states you must give up driving or retake your test.
Instead, you must renew your licence if you want to carry on driving, and this must be repeated every three years.
You must also meet the minimum eyesight requirement to qualify for renewal, and could be prosecuted if get behind the wheel without meeting the standards of vision for driving.
According to GOV.UK, you must:
- be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres away
- be able to meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary)
You must also tell DVLA if you have any problems with your eyesight, or a notifiable medical condition or disability that could impair your ability to drive safely.
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Getting On ‘The Right Road’
Whatever your level of driving experience Surrey Driving Force can offer driving lessons in Surrey to suit you. From driving tests to refresher courses, our friendly and experienced instructors will help you to achieve your goal quickly and affordably.
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Don’t Forget!
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