There’s been a 20% spike in older drivers giving up their licences since Prince Philip surrendered his own at the age of 97 after Sandringham crash
- Some 8,014 motorists over the age of 70 gave up their driving licences last year
- That’s up from 6,612 in 2018, DVLA records showed – an increase of 21%
- Retirement mortgage experts Responsible Life said the Prince’s accident was a contributing factor for the rise
- He handed back his licence at the age of 97 weeks after his accident last January
Prince Philip’s car crash and subsequent decision to give up his driving licence last year has been credited with a significant spike in the number of older motorists handing back their driving licences.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Land Rover Freelander was flipped onto its roof after a collision with another vehicle as he pulled out of a junction near the Sandringham royal estate in Norfolk on 17 January 2019.
This reportedly sparked a 21 per cent increase in the number of motorists over the age of 90 who voluntarily gave up their driving licences last year.
Surrendered: DVLA stats suggest Prince Philip’s widely documented car accident last year encouraged a rise in older drivers deciding to give up their driving licences
Official Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency figures provided to retirement mortgage experts Responsible Life revealed the jump in the number of the oldest driving demographic voluntarily surrendering their licences in 2019.
Cases of motorists over the age of 70 surrendering their own driving permits rose from 6,612 in 2018 to 8,014 last year.
That compared to a much smaller year-on-year increase of less than 10 per cent 12 months previous, with the Prince’s accident believed to be the contributing factor in the jump.
Recent figures from the DVLA suggest that nearly five million of the 39 million driving licence holders in the UK are over the age of 70.
Just three weeks after his accident, Prince Philip handed back his own licence after admitting being at fault for the crash and acknowledging that it was time for him to stop driving,
At the time he was 97 years of age.
A view of the scene of car crash involving Prince Philip on A149 in Sandringham, Norfolk, on 17 January 2019
Broken glass and car parts on the side of the A149 near to the Sandringham Estate where the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road accident while driving
DVLA figures show that among those of the same age, the annual increase in drivers surrendering licences was almost 40 per cent.
Images of the Prince’s Land Rover lying upside down on the A149 were beamed around the world and provided a wake-up call to the very elderly who could still legally get in the driving seat.
While there is no legal age when people must stop driving, it is recommended that those concerned about their ability to drive in old age should ask for objective assessments from organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Steve Wilkie, executive chairman of retirement specialists Responsible Life, said: ‘When to stop driving remains one of our most difficult decisions in later life.
‘For many retired motorists it means letting go of a symbol of their independence, even if they only make the occasional trip to the local shops.
‘Older age is also cruel and creeps up on you, making it impossible to judge the best time to hang up the steering wheel and get a taxi, rather than soldier on for another year.
‘Prince Philip’s misfortunes, however, seem to have jogged a great number of people into confronting this difficult decision head on.’
Drivers over 70 must renew their licence every 3 years and – like all qualified motorists – are responsible for informing the DVLA if they suffer from conditions that could affect their driving performance
Driving licences expire when a motorist reaches the age of 70, but can be renewed by when the holder completes a self-assessment form to confirm they are fit and able to be at the control of a vehicle.
There is no requirement for them to take a formal driving test or a medical before they go back on the roads.
Drivers over 70 must renew their licence every three years and – like all qualified motorists – are responsible for informing the DVLA if they suffer from conditions that could affect their driving performance.
For instance, all drivers are legally required to tell the agency if they suffer from dementia, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and certain forms of diabetes, or conditions that affect their eyesight.
An average of 134 motorists each week have their driving licences revoked by authorities because they can’t see well enough to be behind the wheel, according to a recent report.
There were 19,644 drivers who had their licence taken away from them because of inadequate eyesight between January 2017 and September 2019, DVLA record showed.
SAVE MONEY ON MOTORING