BOMBSHELL for Pensioners: Little-Known DVLA Rule That Will STEAL Your Driving Freedoms at 70

Motorists will lose certain freedoms on their driving licence once they turn 70 with some individuals annoyed at the policy. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is responsible for licensing drivers across the UK, and their rules dictate what drivers can and cannot do. However, it seems one particular rule has some people calling foul. Critics are dubbing it "persecution of pensioners" and older drivers are losing major freedoms on the roads.

As drivers age, it is natural for their abilities to slow down, and that means they may need to reevaluate their fitness to drive. But some argue that the blanket ban on certain freedoms at the age of 70 is unfair, while others see it as necessary for road safety. One of the restrictions on driving licensees over 70 is with regards to the Class 1 entitlement, which doesn't expire, but the Class 2 and Class 3 entitlement will expire at the age of 70.

This means that heavy good vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle entitlements will no longer be valid on the driver's license, and therefore cannot be driven on this license when this entitlement expires at 70 years old. For most people, this means giving up driving buses, lorries and other heavy goods vehicles.

But the limitations of the driving licence don't stop there. Another condition placed on driving licensees by the time they turn 70 is that they have to renew their license by completing a D46P application form. This form asks questions about the driver's medical conditions and their eyesight, making it more likely that health issues and old age may take away driving entitlement. The requirements are a burden on many, and is at the moment arguably deemed as a form of persecution for a number of older drivers.

The DVLA suggests contacting one's doctor in any medical conditions being discovered once reaching one's 70th birthday and failing to comply with this can earn someone a conviction of £1,000 in exchange for not declaring serious medical conditions while continuing to be able to hold a driving license. If deemed necessary, more serious charges such as driving without a license and/or using a vehicle with an invalid license can also be earned.

Whether or not this persecution will take hold of older drivers has yet to be seen as people look to continue driving their vehicles upon reaching the age of 70. And with more and more elderly living in our communities, it can seem unfair to remove driving freedoms without question, but one can expect renewal and limitation as is the natural consequences of the policy.