Elderly drivers in the UK.   New plans are being drawn up re drivers over the 70 year limit when Licences run out.?

I bet that most 70 year old people who drive,

drive better than younger drivers, especially teen drivers. 

I believe you should be able to renew online, but I don't make the laws.  

I would make a law that anyone under 20 can't drive at night unless they are going to and from work..   I know, it would not be a popular law  ;)   Okay, I would make it legal for drivers under 20 to drive at night, if they are driving their parents or grandparents to the grocery store.  I'm not totally cold hearted. 

Edit:  Craig made a very good case until he went off on the Mexican tangent.  The last couple sentences were spot on  (good) 

YOU might be capable of knowing when to hand in you licence but many people do not.  Many don't have their eyesight checked regularly, many do not accept that arthritis can make it more difficult to drive, stiff hands can cause problems holding the steering wheel, changing gears etc.  Early onset Parkinson's Disease should mean 'stop driving' etc.

Many people don't want to give up their independence and, therefore, hang onto that licence long after it should have been surrendered.

I surrendered mine at age 40 because of eyesight issues. Had I not done so, I and several others could be dead now.

It seems this will  only apply to certain over 70`s with underlying health conditions, especially poor eyesight.

I think anyone who finds night driving becomes difficult, should not be allowed to drive on the roads at night.

I`m over 70 and have not driven my vehicle  on the road at night now for at least 10 years. I find all the oncoming car lights very distracting and especially with the brilliance of the headlights on modern day cars.

In an emergency I might risk driving a short distance but would think about calling a taxi or a friend instead, rather than risk having an accident. 

Older people who drive and know they have an ailment that could jeopardies safety are risking their own and others lives. JMO.

Australia has the best plan at 75 yearly Eye tests

85 Regular 2 yearly Driving and Riding tests

or a restricted Licence without Test

Mum tried to hand over her license in TEXAS when she turned 92 and could no longer pivot her head to the right.  But the new American ID law (to prevent the dreaded Mexicans from flooding into polling places and altering our properly-white government) made it impossible to issue her a replacement, non-driving ID card - so TEXAS insisted she take a new driver license instead.  (As if that made sense on ANY level.)

After THAT, I'm no longer convinced that technocrats can be relied upon to implement safe and sensible rules.  After all, foreigners who grew up driving on the right can decide to drive from Cornwall to Inverness, without any government impediment.  And once any person passes their test and gets their license, their driving is never tested again, regardless of their behaviour on the road.  Against that backdrop, the notion of subjecting ALL seniors (on the basis of age, rather than ability) to limitations on when and where they can drive is surely unjustified!