Have an older driver in your life, then why not get them or yourself to pop down anytime between 9.30am and 3pm to Haskins Graden Centre in West End on Tuesday 3rd Ocrober 2017 and get advice on Driving Safely for Longer and much more. Its free to attend and lots of great support and advice. You can’t miss it. Find us near the restuarant area
Tag Archives: older drivers awareness week
Awareness event – Milford on Sea
Have an older driver in your life, then why not get them or yourself to pop down anytime between 9.30am and 3pm to Milford on Sea Community centre on Monday 2nd October 2017 and get advice on Driving Safely for Longer and much more. Its free to attend and lots of great support and advice. You can’t miss it.
Older Drivers Awareness week
Monday 2nd October to Friday 6th October 2017
There are currently just over 4.75 million people in the UK aged 70 and over driving on our roads and the expectation is that this will double if not treble in the next 20 years as we all live longer. The oldest person who holds a driving licence is a male aged 109 years. Hampshire is shown as having the highest number of older drivers outside London.
We know that older motorists have a wealth of experience, confidence and tolerance. However, sight, hearing, reaction time and judgement of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was.
Fragility increases with age, so injuries tend to be more serious and recovery takes much longer. Casualty rates do increase for car drivers aged over about 65, and the fatality rate increases significantly.
That’s where we come in. The Older Drivers Forum is about keeping mature motorists on the road safely for longer. Whether that’s helping giving you practical and informative help and support to continue driving or pointing you in the right direction for an assessment to identify your driving needs – from wing mirror adapters to an elevated driving seat – we’re here to help.
We’re a not-for-profit organisation made up of experts in road safety from across Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight – from representatives from the emergency services, to charities, local authorities and businesses specialising in keeping older people on the road.
If you know an older driver, have contact with them regularly in your job or are perhaps just concerned for a friend or relative who is still driving then the Older Driver Forum may be able to help. Please visit their website www.olderdriversforum.com for more information.
Events
To find out about date and venues in Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Dorset then click here
The events are is free to attend and open, no appointment is required and people can pop in anytime during these hours. The events are aimed at anyone with an interest, from older drivers themselves, to friends and relatives.
Advice will be available on:
- brushing up your skills
- booking a driving assessment
- arranging a regular eyesight test
- getting advice on health and wellbeing issues that could affect driving ability
- renewing your licence at 70
- learning about road safety and consequences of not being fit to drive
- discover alternatives to being independent without a car Safety is the top priority; it should be the most important thing older drivers consider when there is concern over driving ability. The best advice is don’t become complacent and wait for an accident or a near miss to convince a driver to stop, instead seek advice, support and help.
Research suggests that:
- Drivers under 70 are no more likely to be the cause of a crash than other driver. But once over 70, they are more likely to be at fault, particularly where right-of-way violations are involved
- Drivers over 85 are four times more likely to have caused a crash than to have been an innocent victim of one
- Drivers over 65 take 22% longer to identify a hazard and react to it. At 70mph that is two car lengths
- Drivers who do less than 2000 miles a year have an increase risk of collision
- However, age-related decline in mental and physical abilities, coupled with age-related frailty, can make older drivers more likely to be involved in a crash – and more vulnerable to serious injuries
Lets help Older Drivers to carry on Driving Safely for Longer
Let us introduce ourselves…
Featured
About us:
We know that older motorists have a wealth of experience, confidence and tolerance. However, sight, hearing, reaction time and judgement of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was.
Fragility increases with age, so injuries tend to be more serious and recovery takes much longer. Casualty rates do increase for car drivers aged over about 65, and the fatality rate increases significantly.
The Older Drivers Forum is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers to support mature motorists on how to continue driving safely for longer.
The Forum is passionate that none of us become complacent about our driving but take steps to make sure we are safe to drive, as long as we are fit to do so.
The Forum’s website is full of practical information and tips including how to renew your licence, how to identify eyesight and medical conditions, and where to book a confidence boosting assessment to refresh driving skills.
We regularly run events and webinars, many are recorded and can be found on our website for you to watch in the comfort of your home.
So do dip in and take a look! Also register to receive regular updates on our activities.
The Forum does not perform any legal function, and we do not have the authority to revoke driving licences.
We work nationally with Road Safety Organisations, Department for Transport and Government departments, constantly seeking the most effective means to support safer driving into old age.
The Older Drivers Forum are here to help:
- With practical advice on how to keep driving safely for longer
- Plan an independent life without a car
- Families and carers concerned about a mature driver
We’ll be constantly adding advice and news for older drivers to our page so please keep coming back for all the latest updates and click on our ‘FOLLOW’ button, enter your email and we will send you updates on what we are doing.
Why not explore the web site and see all the advice, videos, brochures, recommendations on driving assessments and much more we give to help you, or someone you know, carry on driving safely for longer.
Useful Links:
- Click here to find a Mature Driver Assessment in your area for your needs
- Click here to find a Specially Trained Approved Driving Instructor for Mature Drivers
- Click here to see our recorded Webinars
- Click here to find advice for Older / Mature Drivers
- Click here to fin advice for Family and Friends of a Mature Motorist
- Click here to see Videos to help mature motorists
- Click here to find see range of useful Advice
In the meantime, got a question? Click here to contact us.
Below are just some exciting things going on:
ADAS – Understanding Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Road collisions remain a leading cause of death and serious injury in the UK. Each year, around 1,700 people begin journeys they tragically do not complete and many of these incidents are entirely preventable. Advanced driver assistance systems, also referred to as ADAS are a range of technologies fitted to modern vehicles that enhance safety, improve awareness, and support drivers in both routine and emergency situations. Some features are always active, some require driver input, and others only engage in critical moments. Understanding how they work can help you get the most out of your vehicle and stay safer on the road. Click here to read more and see explanatory videos
FREE webinar – ‘2025 Top Mature Driver Questions – Answered’
As the year draws to a close and we look forward to a safe start to 2026, join us for this special milestone 50th webinar where we answer the most common mature-driver questions we have been asked in 2025 To find out more and register for the webinar click here
Is Your Vision Roadworthy? – Vision and Driving Campaign
Today our chair Rob Heard MBE, Eye Health UK and University of Warwick have launched our third annual roadside vision screening campaign to raise awareness of eyesight rules for motorists called the ‘Is Your Vision Roadworthy?’ To read more CLICK HERE
Your opinions on this website wanted!
We are planning improvements to our website and would like your views on what you like or don’t like about the current layout and content. If you are interested, please click on this link to take our survey which should take 10 – 15 minutes to complete: https://warwick.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bBYxecxizOKhF8q or click here
Chair off Older Drivers Forum awarded MBE
Yesterday our chair, Rob Heard, attended Windsor Castle for the investiture of my MBE, which was awarded by Prince William. To read more click here
Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum webinars
Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum run regular webinars on numerous subjects to find out more click here
Channel 5 Documentary – ‘Cause of Death – Licence to Kill’
We would urge everyone to watch this documentary on Channel 5 which highlights the death of 4 pedestrians due to drivers with defective vision who knew they have defective vision but still drove causing devastating consequences. When 90% of driving is visual, we all need to make sure our vision meets the standards for vision for driving. Click here to read more and get the link
Call for compulsory Eyesight testing after Fatal Collisions
Our Chair. Rob Heard MBE, this week attended an inquest in Preston as an expert witness for the death of 4 people who were killed by drivers with defective vision. As a result the Coroner has called for changes to be made. Our chair appeared on BBC Breakfast to
Older Drivers Forum on BBC Morning Live – Retiring from Driving
On Wednesday 26th March 2025 BBC Morning Live ran a piece about retiring from driving. This featured 85 year old Rose who decided to retire from driving after attending one of the Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum brilliant and informative webinars. To read more and see the piece click here
Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum win award
We are so pleased to announce that Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum has been recognised and they have been given an award for the differences they have made to many. To read more about this click here
ITV Tonight programme – “Older Drivers: Danger at the Wheel?”
On Thursday 23rd January 2025 the ITV Tonight programme ran a 30 minute documentary on Older Drivers and is very well balanced and worth watching. To watch the programme and learn more click here
Older Drivers Forum Chair receives MBE
We are pleased to announce that our chair, Rob Heard, was awarded an MBE for Road Safety and particularly for his Older Drivers work in the 2025 New Years Honours List. Click here to read more and what Rob has said about receiving the award.
Click here to listen to a BBC Radio Solent interview with him shortly after the list came out.
Is Your Vision Roadworthy?
Read all about a recent campaign looking at Vision and Driving and the worrying number of motorists driving on Britain’s roads with sub-standard vision. This was covered on the BBC Morning Live on 5th December 2024 and can be also viewed on this article. Click here to read all about this
Rural Road Safety – NFU Mutual
To help guide and advise everyone on how to use rural roads safely, we’ve assisted NFU Mutual along with the four UK farming unions, Farm Safety Foundation – Yellow Wellies, The British Horse Society, RoSPA to create a Code for Countryside Roads for everyone to use. With the number of lives lost on rural roads 70% higher than on urban highways, we hope the Code can help to tackle the tragic and disproportionate loss of life on the UK’s rural roads. Click here to find out more
Media Interest on Mature Driver Assessments
There is a lot in the press at the moment about Older Drivers and Mature Driver Assessments in this post we discuss why and what is happening. Click here to read
Mobility Scooters
Mobility scooter riders are more than two and a half times more likely to be killed in a road crash compared to other road users, data has revealed. Surewise have created a Mobility Scooter Safety Guide which can be found by clicking here
Reported Road Casualties released
The Department for Transport have released the 2023 statistics for Reported road casualties in Great Britain for 2023, comparing them as well from previous years results. To read all about this click here
LBC Radio Interview – Older Drivers 1st January 2024
Listen to our chair speaking to David Lammy on LBC Radio about Older Drivers and particular concerns raised about drivers over 90 years of age. Click here to listen to the interview.
BBC Radio Gloucestershire interview on Winter Driving Tips
Listen to Nigel Lloyd-Jones from the Older Drivers Forum for Gloucestershire talking about Winter Driving with some excellent tips to be safe on the road as we enter into Winter.
Click here to find out more
Government launches plan to put drivers back in the driving seat
The Government has announced a new 30-point plan it says will support drivers with easier parking, smoother journeys and fairer traffic enforcement. Click here to read more
Car Insurance premiums rising
Have you recently noticed that your Car Insurance premium has gone up and thought:
‘Why has my Car Insurance premium gone up?’
‘What can you I do to keep my premiums as low as possible?’
Visit our page on Car Insurance to see the answers to those questions – Click here
BBC News – ‘Fitness to Drive’
Today (4th July 2023) the BBC have been covering across it news channels the subject of ‘Fitness to Drive’. To read the article and listen to our chair being interviewed on the subject on BBC Radio Somerset click here
Older Drivers Forum supports Project EDWARD
In May we have been supporting Project EDWARD (Every Day Without A Road Death) week of Action. To see more watch the video by clicking on this link
Podcast – ScORSA
Listen to this Podcast involving our Chair Rob Heard talking with Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance. Click here to find the Podcast and scroll down to Older Drivers
BBC Radio 2 Interview with Jeremy Vine
On Friday 24th March the chair and founder of the Older Drivers Forum, Rob Heard, was interviewed by Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 talking about Family and Friends and how to have and start those difficult conversations when we maybe concerned about a loved ones driving. To listen to the interview click here
Webinars / Presentations – Click here to see the recordings
In March 2022 we ran a webinar all about the new changes to the Highway Code and road safety tips. This webinar starts by giving an update on the findings from the Older Drivers Task Force report published in November 2021. The webinar then goes on to cover the new Highway Code and particularly the new changes, as well as giving you useful road safety tips.
To view the Webinar visit our Highway Code page by clicking here
NATIONAL WEB SITE
For advice, support and courses nationally then visit:
www.olderdrivers.org.uk
SITE OWNERSHIP
This site is supported by Hampshire Constabulary Road Safety Team as such follows the same Privacy requirements as them.
PRIVACY NOTICE
To find out more about how we treat personal data and how to exercise your data rights, see our privacy notice
IMPORTANT NEWS
Highway Code – Changes
As of the 29th January 2022 the Highway Code has a number of key changes. To find out more about theses changes, Click Here
Older Drivers Task Force Report published
In November 2021, the Older Drivers Task Force via Road Safety Foundation published a review of older driver road safety. To find out more about this click here
National Highways teams up with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
Click here to find out more and listen to our chair talking on a podcast to Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
For an introduction in British Sign Language, please see below.
In the meantime, got a question? Post a comment below or contact us here.
Thank you.
Older Drivers Forum 