Recurring concern
Failure to reliably assess driver fitness and driving safety
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Request correctionFirst reported 14 May 2014•Latest report 8 Dec 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures in dedicated driver fitness or driving-safety assessment processes, including DPRA assessments, use of current driving guidelines, assessment of driving standards or ability after collisions, consideration of relevant health or age-related fitness factors, and evaluation of conditions encountered during early independent driving.
Not included
- Excludes vehicle licensing entitlement, registration and formal licence-issuance controls where the concern is the licensing system itself.
- Excludes generic driver training, supervision or enforcement deficiencies where no failure to assess driver fitness or driving safety is identified.
- Excludes vehicle design, road infrastructure and individual unsafe driving incidents where no assessment-control deficiency is asserted.
- Excludes clinical fitness assessments unrelated to a person's ability to drive safely.
- Reports
- 13
- Individual concerns
- 18
- Date range
- 2014–2025
- Stated actions
- 17
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised3
Failure to assess new drivers’ understanding of passenger effects on braking, stability and handling
Failure of the standard driving test to require experience on challenging rural roads
Failure of qualification competencies to cover early independent-driving conditions
This report raised 16 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Implement updates to the car practical driving test, including additional higher-speed-road driving where locations allow.
Stated by Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency -
Action
Review and update driving-test-centre routes to include relevant high-speed, high-risk rural roads where locations allow.
Stated by Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency -
Action
Consult on a Minimum Learning Period and related pre-test measures, including a possible mandatory modular learner syllabus.
Stated by Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
The driving test cannot replicate every scenario a driver may encounter after qualification.
Stated by Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
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Position
Because vehicle loading and passenger dynamics vary, the test relies on core competencies to support safe adaptation across different conditions.
Stated by Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
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Concerns raised3
Lack of periodic visual checks for licensed drivers
Failure to assess visual fields during licence renewal
Inadequacy of the 20 m licence plate test for visual fitness assessment
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Consider inquest evidence and potential legal changes to driver licensing for people with medical conditions, including self-declaration.
Stated by Department for Transport -
Action
Continue working with the visual-disorders advisory panel to discuss concerns and consider alternatives to the number-plate vision test.
Stated by Department for Transport
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The number plate test remains a practical baseline assessment because it is straightforward, cost-effective and functional in real time.
Stated by Department for Transport
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Concerns raised1
Failure of HGV medical licence assessments to verify driver-provided medical information against medical records
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Own-GP D4 examinations are not required because they may impose significant time and cost impacts, and GPs need not provide this private work.
Stated by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
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Concerns raised1
Lack of medical fitness-to-drive assessment for drivers over 70
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Conducted a call for evidence on driver licensing for people with medical conditions.
Stated by Department for Transport -
Action
Analyse call-for-evidence research and evidence to assess whether further research or legislative changes are needed, including self-declaration.
Stated by Department for Transport
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
The Secretary of State for Transport will provide the substantive response on behalf of both interested persons.
Stated by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
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Position
No changes to driver licensing requirements are planned while the DVLA analyses call-for-evidence responses and determines whether further research is needed.
Stated by Department for Transport
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Concerns raised2
Lack of regular time-bound review of driving standards
Lack of independent assessment of driving standards
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Run a weekly multidisciplinary Driving Standards Review Panel to assess concerns, determine outcomes and monitor repeated concerns.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Maintain five-yearly response-driver reassessments, annual theory training and return-to-work driving assessments before resuming full driving duties.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Qualified assessments, five-year reassessment, annual training and incident-triggered CCTV reviews are considered sufficient instead of independent six-monthly assessments or regular CCTV review.
Stated by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of independent medical scrutiny of the continued ability of drivers aged over 70 to drive
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Conduct a Call for Evidence on driver licensing for people with medical conditions.
Stated by Department for Transport -
Action
Analyse responses to the Call for Evidence on driver licensing for people with medical conditions.
Stated by Department for Transport
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
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Position
There is little evidence that mandatory testing or medical examination for older drivers would improve road safety.
Stated by Department for Transport
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Position
Current licensing arrangements for drivers renewing at age 70 are considered a proportionate balance of fairness, road safety and individual interests.
Stated by Department for Transport
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Concerns raised1
Failure to require medical fitness checks for drivers over 70
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing medical declaration, notification, investigation and age-70 renewal arrangements are considered balanced and proportionate without additional medical checks.
Stated by Department for Transport
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Concerns raised1
Failure to incorporate current applicable driving guidelines into DPRA risk assessment
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Complete incorporation of Inquest learning into the revised UKI DPRA Safety Arrangement.
Stated by DHL Supply Chain Ltd UK & Ireland -
Action
Release and adopt the revised UKI DPRA Safety Arrangement as consistent business-wide best practice.
Stated by DHL Supply Chain Ltd UK & Ireland -
Action
Apply the revised Nisa DPRA process across delivery locations using risk-based prioritisation and weekly management oversight.
Stated by DHL Supply Chain Ltd UK & Ireland
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Concerns raised1
Failure to arrange an independent assessment of driving ability after a collision
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Engage Dyfed Powys Police to understand its elderly person referral scheme and inform consideration of a similar South Wales Police scheme.
Stated by South Wales Police -
Action
Engage Criminal Justice Services, the Motoring Unit and Wales Mobility Driver Assessment Service to discuss implementing the scheme in South Wales.
Stated by South Wales Police -
Action
Implement an elderly person referral scheme in South Wales Police by May 2021, with delivery brought forward if possible.
Stated by South Wales Police
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Concerns raised1
Reliance on driver self-reporting and recognition of unfitness to drive
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026