Merseyside: 28% ‘strongly support’ older drivers retaking their test

A senior coroner recently said the current rules are too relaxed, after investigating fatal crashes involving drivers with poor vision.

Transcript

00:00Drivers in Merseyside could soon see changes to the rules around driving in older age.

00:08The government is reviewing whether people over 70 should face mandatory eyesight checks.

00:13At the moment, there is no requirement for a test. Drivers simply declare if they think their vision has changed.

00:20But a coroner has called this system too relaxed after finding that poor eyesight contributed to four road deaths.

00:27He raised concerns that some drivers may hide problems to keep their license.

00:31Officials are now exploring whether regular eye tests should be brought in for safety reasons.

00:36A new road safety strategy is expected later this year.

00:40YouGov polling shows that people in Merseyside are mostly in favor of tougher rules.

00:44Twenty-eight percent said they are strongly in support of retesting, with another thirty-five percent somewhat supporting the idea.

00:51Still, some believe the focus should be on driver fitness, not age.

00:55The final decision has not yet been made.