It becomes harder to stay behind the wheel after you've turned 70. We offer some help
The number of motorists aged over 80 has broken through the million barrier for the first time, according to the latest data from the licensing agency. This includes 121 motorists over 100, with one female lady driver having already celebrated her 106th birthday.
But are these veteran drivers a miracle or a menace? According to the Department of Transport (Euronext: IXSTP.NX - news) , those aged over eighty are involved in seven times more fatal accidents per driver than those in their fifties.
There are far from silver-haired angels. More than 50,000 have penalty convictions on their licences, including 17 aged 98 and 99 and five of the centenarians.
So it is easy to feel persona non grata as a senior motorist, and why losing your licence can become a major worry. Normal driving licences end once you reach 70, and are withdrawn. After that, you must reapply at three-yearly intervals, confirming health is tip top and vision 50/50.
Moreover, insurance premiums are rising faster for the over seventies than for any other group, while many insurers steer clear of them altogether.
But Ian Crowder at the AA said: "Provided you remain in good health, and don't start clocking up excessive motoring offences or accident claims, there is no reason why you should not go on motoring into your nineties and beyond."
Yet driving numbers plummet as we get older. According to the DVLA (Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency), there are currently around 740,000 67 year-olds holding a licence, but this number halves to 327,399 by age 70. By age 80 it has plunged again to 174,985. By 91, there are 14,681 motorists still on the road. Yet at 100, 62 drivers still hold full licences.
Not everyone is full of admiration for these plucky pensioners. Some 58 people were killed in accidents involving a few of the one million drivers over 80, according to the Department for Transport, compared with 51 fatalities involving seven million drivers in their fifties.
Yet overall casualty rates involving older drivers is not much different from safer drivers in their fifties, with the over eighties clocking up 1.7 casualties per 1,000 drivers, compared with 1.5 in the younger group.
Mr Crowder said: "They are still much safer than very young drivers, although we have to acknowledge that every year we will have a few cases of a driver going down a motorway the wrong way before hitting something, and they are usually older drivers. Sometimes there are cases of a heart attack at the wheel."
The over seventies saw their premiums rocket 17pc over the past year, according to the latest British Insurance Premium Index, while premiums climbed by 14pc for those in their fifties, and 11pc for under 22 year-olds.
Saga spokesman Paul Green partly blames lack of data: "Older drivers are a challenge for underwriters, because they have no evidence to base premiums on, so they just guess.
"Yes, older people do have more accidents, but these tend to be small matters such as reversing into a bollard, so the cost of claims is smaller."
So, if you are heading for 70 and want to stay on the road, T he Sunday Telegraph shows you how.
How to renew your licence
Once you hit 70, your driving licence is withdrawn and you have to apply anew every three years. At each renewal, you must disclose any relevant medical condition, and it is a criminal offence, carrying a £1,000 fine, not to do so. This may lead to further questioning and a request for the DVLA to contact your doctor directly. If the DVLA is not happy, your licence can be revoked immediately.
The other consequence of failing to disclose is that, in the event of an accident it could affect the claim, nullifying your cover.
Shopping around for insurance
It is always important to shop around, as a better deal is usually available to new, rather than existing, customers. However, options narrow as you get older. MMA Insurance will not accept new drivers on to its Ladycar policy for women over 65.
By 69, a further 12 options are barred, including cover from Brit Insurance (Berlin: B86A.BE - news) , Chaucer, Ecclesiastical and Volvo (Dusseldorf: 613304.DU - news) .
Most Aviva policies only go up to 75, although a couple will run until 85, particularly if bought with home insurance.
Similarly, the Co-op, NFU, Yorkshire Building Society, Quotemehappy and some Zurich policies ban the over 75s. Ford (NYSE: F - news) stops insuring at 78, and the RSA group, including More Than, at 79.
However, if you are already insured with one of these organisations, they may continue to offer cover. But at what cost? An 85 year-old will pay three or four times what a 45 year-old might be charged, and at 95 it will be far higher.
Where to find insurance
Saga, Age UK and RIAS have no upper age limit, and specialise in looking after older policyholders.
Virgin Money insures up to 120, with Asda (NYSE: WMT - news) , Honda, Kia, Pearl, Poppy, Subaru, and Skipton Building Society all issuing cover up to 100.
The AA takes on new motorists up to 99, as do John Lewis, Budget, Bullseye, Castlecover, Coverbox, Dialdirect, Forces Financial, Lexus, Toyota and Vauxhall. Diamond has a 98 cut-off and M&S (LSE: MKS.L - news) stops at 85.
5 comments