OLDER drivers in Gloucestershire are set to receive targeted support from the police to stay safe behind the wheel.

Gloucestershire Constabulary has adopted a new ‘Older Drivers Strategic Approach’ in a bid to reduce the risks posed by elderly motorists to themselves and other road users.

The new approach comes in response to a 160 per cent increase in the number of people aged 65 and over being killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads between 2010 and 2019.

The force wants to help keep elderly motorists safe whilst maintaining their independence by reducing the “risks and vulnerabilities” that could lead to serious, or even fatal accidents.

The approach will see drivers over 70 - who are required to reapply to the DVLA for their licence - that fit certain criteria referred to an assessor to check their abilities behind the wheel.

Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Roads Policing Lead, Supt Paul Keasey, said: “This is about keeping older people, who may rely on their vehicles for their independence safe and reducing the potential risk to other road users”.

“More and more people over the age of 70 are still driving and that means we need to be alive to the changing nature of road users and their vulnerabilities.

“We don’t want to take older people off the road, we want to keep them safe and reduce the potential risk to other road users. That’s why Gloucestershire want to be ahead of the game.

“As part of our new approach, the Constabulary will adopt the ‘fit to drive’ scheme, which will see those who fit the criteria referred to Driver Mobility who are accredited to the DVLA to check on people’s abilities behind the wheel and give individual help and support to vulnerable drivers”.

Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson said: “This new, strategic approach will help older people safely maintain their independence, and make our roads safer.

“Assessing their ability to drive safely is not meant to be a punitive measure, but provide a safety net that will give them added confidence when they’re behind the wheel.

“Whilst older motorists, like myself, have a wealth of experience, we have to accept the passage of time can also affect other faculties like sight, hearing, reactions and judgement of speed and distance.

“This new, strategic approach identifies the need to understand those factors because we want to do all we can to keep everyone, whatever their age, safe on our roads”.