Elderly drivers have been warned they could be required to follow new driving rules as part of growing campaigns to keep motorists safe on UK roads.
It comes after fresh Government data exposed that elderly motorists accounted for a substantial share of Britain's road casualties, intensifying demands for more stringent licensing controls.
Data from the Department for Transport has indicated that drivers aged 70 and above represent 22 per cent of all road deaths in 2024, despite comprising a smaller portion of the overall driving population.
The statistics revealed 352 fatalities among this age group last year, alongside 10,038 casualties across all severity levels.
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The Transport Secretary said she was 'open to considering' new health checks for elderly drivers
These numbers have reignited discussions about whether current self-reporting requirements for medical conditions are sufficient, with critics arguing the UK maintains "the laxest" licensing system in Europe.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has acknowledged she is "open to considering" evidence for mandatory health checks as part of a comprehensive road safety strategy expected later this year.
The need for new measures was supported by a Lancashire coroner who issued a stark warning about Britain's driver licensing system following inquests into four pedestrian deaths caused by motorists with deteriorating vision.
HM Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley sent a prevention of future deaths report to the Transport Secretary after examining fatal collisions that claimed the lives of four elderly drivers.
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The petition has proposed mandatory eye examinations every two years for elderly drivers
The coroner found that current self-reporting mechanisms allow drivers to conceal visual impairments from opticians and disregard medical advice against driving.
"Self-reporting of visual conditions permits drivers to lie about their current driving status to those performing an ophthalmic assessment and avoid warnings not to drive," Adeley stated in his report.
The Transport Secretary confirmed she found the report "very distressing" and pledged to examine evidence for reform.
The 2024 road casualty statistics paint a concerning picture for vulnerable road users, with motorcyclist deaths surging by nine per cent compared to the previous year.
Pedestrian fatalities also climbed by two per cent, while overall road deaths reached 1,633, marking a one per cent increase despite total casualties falling by three per cent to 128,375.
Males accounted for three-quarters of all road deaths, with the 50-69 age bracket experiencing a sharp 23 per cent rise in male fatalities to 342 deaths.
Among female casualties, drivers aged 70 and above suffered the highest death toll at 128, though this represented a 14 per cent decrease from 2023. The data underscores how certain demographics face disproportionate risks on Britain's roads, particularly older drivers and motorcyclists.
Road safety advocates and medical professionals are now mobilising to demand compulsory vision assessments for all motorists, with a new petition highlighting that approximately 1.8 million UK drivers currently fail to meet legal sight requirements.
The optician-led petition launched earlier this year, which already has hundreds of signatures, has proposed mandatory eye examinations every two years, with drivers required to provide certification confirming they meet the Snellen scale standard.
GETTY | Elderly drivers have to renew their licence every three years once they reach 70 years of age
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents projects this figure could reach four million by 2050 without intervention.
"We support tougher penalties for high-risk behaviours like drug driving and not wearing a seatbelt. But beyond punishment, we also need better infrastructure, improved driver training, and smarter in-car safety systems," stated a spokesperson for Bumper, the car repair financing specialists.
Campaigners also advocated for regulations requiring drivers who need corrective lenses to carry spare spectacles in their vehicles.
Regional analysis of the 2024 casualty data reveals Kent recorded the highest number of road injuries with 3,921 incidents, followed by Surrey at 3,145 and Birmingham with 3,056.