‘I’m 94 and still driving – I’m safer than younger drivers’

 A 94-year-old grandfather who is still driving believes most older motorists are perfectly safe to be on the roads and are safer than many younger drivers.

Brad Ashton, who lives in Enfield, north London, still loves driving and has never had a speeding fine. He is determined to keep driving as long as he can.

It comes as ministers are preparing a major shake-up of driving rules that could see drivers over the age of 70 banned from the roads if they fail compulsory eye tests.

The proposals, set to be published as part of a road safety strategy in the autumn, also include tougher penalties for uninsured driving and failing to wear a seat belt, according to The Times.

Mr Ashton, who has been married to his wife Valerie for 64 years and has three children and five grandchildren, has been driving since he passed his test in 1947, passing first time after just six lessons.

“I think most older drivers are fine and keep to the rules more than a lot of younger drivers do,” he said.

“I stick to the speed limits. When I am on roads which are 20mph, I slow down, but I see lots of cars driving past me driving at 30mph or more.

“I am a careful driver, which is why I have still got my licence. I have never had a speeding fine ever because I am never in that much of a hurry that I have to rush.”

Mr Ashton is so confident in his health that he has just renewed his licence for another three years and is particularly thankful he can still drive, as his wife is unable due to having ataxia, which affects her balance and walking.

“There are not a lot of buses around here, so driving gives us independence, so we don’t have to rely on relatives and can live a fairly normal life,” he said.

Motoring groups have hailed Government plans to overhaul road safety laws as “much overdue” and “a step in the right direction”.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said earlier this year that she was open to the measure.

On Britain’s roads last year, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured in traffic incidents, and numbers have remained relatively constant following a large fall between 2000 and 2010.

Under current rules, drivers are not subjected to mandatory checks and are instead required to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they are no longer fit to drive.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said “more clearly needs to be done” to improve road safety as “too many lives are being lost”.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “The time has come for a bold and proactive approach to road safety.” Vision checks for older drivers and targeting drink and drug drivers are “practical steps that can make a real difference”, he added.

A retired comedy scriptwriter, Mr Ashton wrote material for famous British comedians including Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Bruce Forsyth, and Bob Monkhouse. Early in his career, he was even head writer for the great Groucho Marx.

He even happened upon some comedy during his weekly driving lessons.

“Whenever I got there, the front seat was pushed so far back, it was almost at the seat behind,” he said. “I couldn’t understand why – until one week when I got there early and saw that Bernie Bresslaw – 6ft 7in tall and of Carry On fame – was the pupil before me and was getting out of the car.

“We ended up becoming great friends after that.”

Mr Ashton shares the tales from his career with comedy greats as a guest speaker at various groups and events.

He now tries to stick to talks within 10 miles or so from home – not because he does not fancy a longer drive, but because he does not want to leave his wife on her own for too long.

“I just love driving, and I hope I can keep on driving as long as I am able to,” he said.

Rob Heard, chair and founder of the Older Drivers Forum, supported efforts to ensure people continue to drive safely as they enter their seventies, eighties, and nineties.

“None of us, though, should rely on our past safe driving history and perhaps become complacent,” he said. “We all need to recognise that as we age, our sight, hearing, judgement of speed and distance may not be as good as it once was, and this can creep up on us without us actually realising.

“To ensure we continue to make sure we are still safe to drive, haven’t picked up any bad habits or are affected by a medical condition affecting our driving, then it is always sensible to ensure we carry out some simple regular [health] checks.”