A 101-year-old man has been crowned Britain’s oldest learner driver despite calls from some motorists to place limits on older people from getting behind the wheel.
New data has found that a 101-year-old man has become the oldest person in Britain to apply for a provisional licence in recent years.
Further data revealed that three people in total had applied for their provisional licence, with one man and two women applying to the DVLA for the licence.
In total, 148 people between the ages of 90 and 99 also took the plunge, although it is not known whether they have obtained their full driving licence.
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Older drivers need to renew their licences more often once they turn 70
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More than 3,200 people over the age of 80 were also found to have applied for their provisional, although no data was given about where in the country they applied from.
Motorists are able to apply for their first provisional licence from the age of 15 years and nine months, and if they can read a number plate from 20 metres away and have been given permission to live in Great Britain for at least 185 days.
There is no upper limit for drivers to apply for a provisional licence, although many young people will apply for it around their 16th birthday as a form of identity.
While there is no maximum age for a provisional, motorists with a full driving licence are required to renew their licence more frequently once they reach 70 years of age.
From this milestone birthday, drivers will have to apply for a new licence every three years, compared to every 10 years for younger age groups.
Commenting on the data, Andrew Jervis, CEO of ClickMechanic, said: “It’s heartening to see that many of Britain’s learner drivers have decided to take the plunge in their later years to prove age is no barrier to achievement.
“As long as you have the physical and mental ability to become a capable and safe driver, it shouldn’t matter whether you begin at 17 or 101.”
All drivers are required to inform the DVLA about certain medical conditions if they could impact their ability behind the wheel, including diabetes and epilepsy.
This comes as new research from Carmoola found that one in 20 Britons believe drivers should have their licence automatically revoked at the age of 50 as a result of “old age”.
Although it still attracted support from five per cent of survey participants, there was greater support for revoking licences from older motorists.
A total of eight per cent believed drivers should be stripped of their licences from the age of 60, while 11 per cent supported limits on those over 70 years of age.
While these suggestions were not as popular, seven in 10 Britons thought people should be required to take their driving tests at regular intervals, with 18 per cent suggesting this should be done every 10 years.
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Motorists are being urged to ensure they meet the requirements for a licence
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The popularity of any law changes which call into question the maximum age of a driver would likely be deeply unpopular as driving has been identified as a key measure to ensure people remain active in their communities.
