Given the size of the 'grey' population you would have thought every 5 years for a renewal with a link to your GP would be sufficient. However, unlike FAC certs, they must be renewed every 3 years after 70 (mine was first renewed some years ago - I am now 72 going on 73. Your original licence must be submitted with the request for renewal which requires confirmation of no relevant medical conditions without reference to a doctor. It can be done online but DVLC will AUTOMATTICALLY delete your entitlement to drive mini buses and vehicles with TRAILERS and those between 2 and 7 tons if you do it online - quite specifically these will be removed and can only be retained by sending a form back to DVLC.
First, its as much of a deliberate con as I've seen. Second there is clearly LESS concern that some old person will kill with a car (accidentally makes no difference.
Third, why, in such circumstances will they accept a signed form about health impairments when they will not do so for FAC/SGC - clearly its to whom the info goes - DVLC clearly accept they are not responsible if a licence is issued in error to a person with a disabling health condition - yet if one looks at the stats , more people are killed by older drivers losing the edge than were ever killed by legal gun holders who went loopy. In fact, those who held legal authority to have SGC and FAC have, almost exclusively been given them by police mistakes and misjudgements where lives have been lost.
The state creeps into everything these days but a degree of consistency and sharing of personal data would help them do it better (whatever it is) and ease the burden on older people.
Sorry, just filled my renewal in (again) I live fairly wild and without my licence my life would be impossible.
