Irish Drivers Born Before 1950 Face License Rule Changes Coming Soon

The UK might change driving laws, and Ireland could follow. Current Irish law requires renewing licenses every ten years. After age 75, the rules get stricter, and you must declare any health problems affecting driving. This applies to drivers born before 1950. They need a doctor’s note confirming fitness and a shorter, three-year or one-year license.

The UK might retest drivers over 70 every three years, with tests focusing mainly on eyesight and reaction time. The UK has over 500 drivers aged over 100; in 2019, one in five Irish men over 90 drove. Some wonder if Ireland will adopt UK retests.

Medical assessments may include vision and thinking tests. Doctors might discuss health issues that affect driving. One person had a stroke and was cleared to drive, while another patient reported their stroke and lost their license, struggling to get it back.

Car insurance is changing next month. After March 31st, you need your driver number and the numbers for other named drivers. You can’t get insurance without these numbers because of a new law requiring insurers to share numbers with a database.

This database is the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID). Find your driver number on your license under section 4d. IMID aims to remove uninsured drivers from the roads. Police can access IMID using mobile devices, easily finding uninsured drivers. Gardaí will access driver numbers at the roadside, strengthening road safety efforts.