London, England — Uswitch car insurance recently released a study of United Kingdom drivers that reveals that over two-thirds of motorists, or 67 percent, believe that seniors should be required to retake their driving test.
Notably, when looking at the study’s generational breakdowns, millennials most supported senior drivers being retested, with 79 percent agreeing that this should be a mandatory procedure.
Comparatively, when asking senior drivers for their opinions, only 45 percent of those aged 65 or older think retesting should be required.
While all Ontarians aged 80 or older must undergo a mandatory in-class screening process to determine driving eligibility, in the U.K., there are currently no age-based requirements to stop driving or retake a driving test.
However, when a driver reaches 70 in the U.K., they only have to reapply for their licence every three years, without having to take a test.
When asked what age respondents thought senior drivers should retest, the most popular age range selected was between 70 and 74.
Additionally, almost half of respondents, at 49 percent, think senior drivers should retake their test every two or three years. Comparatively, only four percent think senior drivers should have to retake their test once, with mainly Generation X and Baby Boomers, at 62 percent, supporting this trend.
When looking at more specific concerns, the top reasons for respondents supporting retesting included: slower reaction time at 64 percent; sight issues at 62 percent; deteriorated health at 52 percent; deteriorated attention at 51 percent; and deteriorated driving performance at 44 percent.
And, when looking at safety violations, according to the study, the most common driving offence committed by motorists aged 60 plus is speeding. In terms of actual accident rates, the number of car insurance quote requests including those aged 61 plus accounted for 12 percent of total claims between September 2023 to 2024 in the U.K.
Finally, the study concludes that out of those aged 60 plus who took a driving test between September 2023 to March 2024, only 35 percent passed.
For more information about the study, click here.
