The sense of a road ending

27/01/2020 | STEVE GOODING

The former director at the Department for Transport and current RAC Foundation director discusses when and how we should hang up the keys.

Most regular readers of Highways magazine will have set up automatic alerts so they are among the first to read new reports published by the RAC Foundation. By now, you will have read Dr Julie Gandolfi’s extensive study, looking at approaches being taken around the world to keep older drivers driving safely. But if you haven’t, may I commend it to you?

To put some numbers on the table, there are already 5.5 million driving licence holders in Britain aged 70 or over. That’s 41% more than the 3.9 million licence holders in the same age group back in 2012. And this is, largely, a generation of people whose lifestyles have been heavily shaped by their ability to own and drive a car – a vehicle that offers a degree of comfort and convenience that even a minicab struggles to match.

It’s not only that the number of older people is rising as a proportion of the total population, but they are living longer, too. The good news is that many older drivers self-regulate their driving – avoiding busy roads at busy times; not driving at night or in poor weather conditions.

But while many people are staying fit and active well into retirement there are some aspects of ageing that catch up with us all eventually – our eyesight deteriorates, our cognitive ability reduces, and we become frailer and liable to injury. Evidence from America suggests that the amount of light needed by a 72-year-old to drive safely is an astonishing 16 times than that required by a 20-year-old.

This explains why alongside ‘Rail fare shock’ and ‘Phew, what a scorcher’, we routinely read calls in the media for compulsory re-testing of drivers over a certain age.

There are three very clear problems with this call. First, at what age?

We all grow older at the same pace, but the same cannot be said for the decline in our physical and mental abilities – my physique may be the envy of a younger man, but he wouldn’t want my eyesight. Second, we don’t want to deter those safe older drivers who do self-regulate and thus are better able to stay active, mobile and connected.

Third, even if we did decide that we should have a test and could decide at what age we’d take it, we’d then have to decide what form it should take, which turns out to be a far greater challenge than you might have thought.

The phenomenon of an ageing population isn’t unique to the UK – it is probably at its most pronounced in Japan. Dr Gandolfi’s report reveals how hard it has proved to devise a test for older drivers that demonstrably reduces road safety risk, even for the extreme set of hurdles facing older Japanese drivers, who, after the age of 70, must take part in a lecture, a battery of driver aptitude tests involving simulator driving, vision tests, and on-road driving assessment, a discussion session and, for drivers over 75, a cognitive screening test.

While clever folk worry about a possible test that would do the trick, three avenues offer a nearer-term prospect of working.

First, the wealth of driver-assist technology making its way into the modern motor car can help with everything from the mundane business of parking (a struggle when twisting and turning the body gets harder) to systems that detect other road users and on to the automatic application of the brakes. For these systems to be of most help, auto companies need to be encouraged to make them as intuitive as possible (have you read the owner’s manual for your car? I thought not).

Second, we need to do more to assist older drivers in making informed decisions about their driving. Telematics could help – the infamous ‘black box’ insurance policies that help make driving affordable for young people could generate information about driving style for older drivers too.

Regular check-ups with GPs and opticians – the RAC Foundation has long taken the view that eye tests should be compulsory for all drivers, repeated at least every 10 years with renewal of the photocard licence).

And third, perhaps all the effort that is going in to improve public transport options as a response to our climate change and air quality concerns will help create more comprehensive, more widely used services that, in turn, might help take some of the stigma out of hanging up the ignition keys.

For many relatively young people, ceasing to own a car is becoming something of a fashion statement, maybe it will become a badge of honour for older people too.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Customer Support Officer

Up to £33291 per annum
Support businesses, serve communities and help deliver a service that keeps our borough clean and efficient.Support businesses, serve communities and England, London, City of London
Recruiter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

Estate Manager

Up to £39150 per annum
Lead from the front. Keep our estates clean, safe and welcoming - and help build stronger communities every day.Lead from the front. Keep our estates England, London, City of London
Recruiter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

Civil Enforcement Officer

£25,989 - £27,254 per annum
We’re looking for Civil Enforcement officers to join our parking services team. Selby, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Waste and Recycling Manager

£64,355.20 - £70,397.60 per year
As Waste and Recycling Manager your role will be to oversee and manage the Waste Management Services Contract Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
Recruiter: Aberdeen City Council

Director of Streets and Environment

£129,901 - £135,064
This is an exciting time to be joining Croydon. Croydon (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Croydon Council

Highway Maintenance & Drainage Manager

£59,568 - £66,801
As our Highway Maintenance & Drainage Manager Civic Centre, Keynsham
Recruiter: Bath & North East Somerset Council

Director of Transport

£100,088 – £110,736
The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority was established as a new organisation in early 2024. Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Head of Economic Development

Grade 14 £54,867 - £60,971 per annum
Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the environment and shaping a sustainable future? Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Major Projects Manager

Grade £54,867 - £60,971 per annum
Do you want to make a real difference to ‘place’, be the driving force behind major capital projects and directly impact people’s lives? Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Director of Transport

£112,924
East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is on a bold journey. East Midlands Region
Recruiter: East Midlands Combined County Authority

Highways Network Engineer - WMF2169e

£45,091 - £46,142
This position offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the resilience and effectiveness of our highway network. Kendal,Penrith or Barrow
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Highway Network Technician - WMF2168e

£28,598 - £29,540
This role offers an excellent opportunity to gain experience in a specialised area of highways operations while contributing directly Kendal, Penrith or Barrow
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Director of Streetscene

£94,972 - £108,767
We continue to have big ambitions for our borough Fareham, Hampshire
Recruiter: Fareham Borough Council

Principal Engineer - Urban Traffic Control (UTC)

£44,711 - £49,764
Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic and engaged communities. Liverpool, Merseyside
Recruiter: Liverpool City Council

Lawyer 2- Planning and Highways

£49,764 - £54,181
We are looking for a fresh thinking and enthusiastic Planning and Highways Lawyer Hereford, Herefordshire
Recruiter: Herefordshire Council

Development Engineer

£35,967 - £41,268 per annum
Are you ready to play a key role in shaping and safeguarding the future of our highways and public spaces? Bexley (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: London Borough of Bexley

Highways Assistant Engineer WMF2133e

£39,513 to £40,476
We have an exciting opportunity for the right person to work within the challenging and ever-changing landscape. Penrith, Cumbria
Recruiter: Westmorland and Furness Council

PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT PLANNING OFFICER

£43693 - £46731
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team in Hull as a Principal Transport Planning Officer. Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Recruiter: Hull City Council

HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEER - 4 POSTS

£43693 - £46731
We have several exciting opportunities for suitably qualified Highways Civil Engineers and Traffic Engineers Wilson Centre, 1st floor, Hull HU1 2AG
Recruiter: Hull City Council
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW