A pilot scheme to support vulnerable drivers to stay safe behind the wheel is being championed by the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership.
The Fitness to Drive scheme, which has already proved successful in other parts of the UK, will initially be offered by Staffordshire Police’s Road Crime Team. It provides an alternative to prosecution and fines for certain groups of drivers who have been found to be driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration to other road users:
• Drivers aged 70 and over – 22.2% of all fatal collisions across Staffordshire since 2023 involved at least one driver aged 70 or over
• Drivers of any age using specially adapted vehicles
• Drivers of any age where an underlying medical condition is thought to have been the cause or contributed to a collision or driving incident
Once a driver accepts a referral into the scheme by the Police, they will be assessed by an Occupational Therapist and Approved Driving Instructor at a Driving Mobility Centre.
The assessment starts with a pre-drive consultation where the incident is discussed and eyesight, cognitive and physical checks are completed.
An assessed drive is conducted in a dual controlled vehicle, covering everyday road and traffic conditions. If driving faults are detected, drivers are offered advice to correct them and must maintain the improvements for the rest of the drive.
The assessment is designed to identify those who are safe drivers, those who need further skills training, and those who are no longer safe, so need to retire from driving.
If the recommendation is that they retire from driving, the findings are compiled with the Police’s initial incident report and sent to the DVLA to make a final licencing decision. Support is provided by a Driving Mobility Centre to those who retire from driving.
Deputy Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Dave Evans is co-chair of the SSRP, alongside Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams. He said: “Stopping driving can have a significant impact on people’s lives and independence, which is why the Fitness to Drive scheme aims to help older or vulnerable drivers keep driving safely wherever possible.
“Through assessments, education and support, the scheme provides an option for those who wish to replace potential prosecution, points or a fine with a positive alternative. However, where the expert view is that a driver is no longer safe, it’s right that this is addressed for the safety of themselves and other road users.
“Fitness to Drive is just one of a number of initiatives designed to reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads.”
Inspector Chris Moss, from the Staffordshire Police Road Crime Team, said: “We want to make sure all drivers have the appropriate skills and consideration to use the roads in a safe manner.
“Our ability to refer drivers into this successful initiative is a positive step in driver education and assists in our aim to reduce the number of people seriously injured or killed on Staffordshire’s roads.”
Dominic Hibbin is the Assessment Manager at the Regional Driving Assessment Centre (RDAC), which will conduct the driving assessments alongside Derby DriveAbility. They are part of a network of centres accredited by Driving Mobility.
Dominic said: “We aim to support drivers to retain their independence in a supportive environment. We understand that many drivers will not have had their driving assessed for a long time and may feel nervous about coming for an assessment. I would encourage people to contact us to talk through the assessment process if they feel this would help reassure them and understand the potential outcomes of an assessment.
“We look forward to working in partnership with Staffordshire Police and supporting the people of Staffordshire through this scheme.”
