Older drivers above the age of 70 are at risk of being slapped with a hefty £1,000 charge for breaking one of the most important DVLA rules, according to experts. A new poll commissioned by experts at Scrap Car Comparison has found that older road users are not renewing their driving licence after the age of 70. 

Under the rules, motorists have to renew their driving licence photocard when they hit 70 and then every three years. It means renewals must be done at 73, 76, 79, 82, 85 and onwards until the individual decides to hand over their licence and quit driving. However, according to the group’s data, a staggering 27% of older drivers polled are failing to renew their driving licences every 3 years. Meanwhile, the survey of 500 UK drivers aged between 70 and 95 found that 22% of mature motorists were not aware of the rule at all, which is a major concern.

David Kottaun, operations manager at Scrap Car Comparison, said: “It’s been a shock to discover that so many motorists are not renewing their licenses following their 70th birthdays – and therefore leaving themselves no longer able to legally operate a vehicle, and at risk of receiving a big fine if caught.  

“The DVLA should send drivers a D46P application form around 90 days before they turn 70 years old; however, if you do not receive one through the post, paper copies of the form can be obtained from your local Post Office.”

Failure to renew a DVLA driving licence after 70 is a serious blow, with road users likely to be slapped with a £1,000 fine if caught out. In addition to the financial risks, drivers will have their car insurance policy invalidated, meaning they could not claim under it in the event of an accident.

Data from the Department for Transport states that there are 5.8 million motorists aged 70 years or older on UK roads. If we imagine the data closely corresponds to the entire country, the equivalent of over 1.5 million over-70s could be getting behind the wheel illegally, equating to fines of up to £1.5 billion if all offending drivers were caught.  

The poll found that as many as 52% of those aged 70 to 80 were waiting 4 years or more to update their photocard, well above the mandatory 3-year cut-off. Meanwhile, as many as 8% of mature drivers do not renew their licence at all, which is a much more serious concern. 

David added: “Ultimately, the reason behind getting mature drivers to regularly renew their license is to ensure the safety of the drivers themselves, and everyone else on the roads. 

“The renewal process is quick, easy, and motorists can continue to drive while their license is being renewed as long as they have the support of their doctor to continue driving, have had a valid license and their last license wasn’t revoked or refused for medical reasons – so there is no excuse to not be regularly renewing this documentation.”