DMV data take a look at not required for California drivers 70 and older

In a significant transfer for older drivers, those that are age 70 and past will not be required to take a data take a look at to resume their licenses, the California Department of Motor Vehicles introduced on Monday, Sept. 30.

All drivers had been required to take the data take a look at as soon as their license expired after turning 70, which had been a coverage however not a legislation, DMV Director Steve Gordon mentioned in a press launch. In latest years, they may have opted for an eLearning session as an alternative, which is also not required.

“We are eliminating the written data take a look at for these with out visitors violations on their file to enhance customer support,” Gordon mentioned in an announcement. “If hundreds fewer individuals want to go to the DMV, or can spend much less time in an workplace, the individuals who have to deal with their enterprise in one among our workplaces will be higher served.”

An workplace go to continues to be required for a imaginative and prescient examination and an up to date picture for these 70 and older who’re renewing a driver’s license.

First-time drivers should nonetheless take a data take a look at, which for years had been known as the written take a look at. So will newcomers to California who need a license.

For all renewing motorists with poor driving information, there’s a requirement to once more take the take a look at. At least some can go for the DMV’s eLearning course, which the driving force largely can’t fail.

All drivers are nonetheless required to take the data take a look at, or eLearning, if their information meet any of the next situations:

• Two or extra accidents through the two years instantly previous the expiration of the license
• Three or extra accidents through the three years instantly previous the expiration
• A DUI suspension through the two years instantly previous the expiration date
• Two or extra violation factors inside the two years instantly previous the expiration

Some older drivers with expiring licenses could have already obtained renewal notices that point out a data take a look at is required however are eligible to not take it. In these circumstances, the take a look at will probably be waived throughout in-office visits.

DMV officers are encouraging prospects to start out their functions on-line to minimize the period of time they’re in a DMV workplace.

Statistics present the crash fee decreases as drivers age, except for drivers 75 and older who had the best loss of life fee involving a collision.

According to the National Safety Council, a nonprofit safety-advocacy group, drivers who have been 16- to 19-year-olds in 2022 represented 3.6% of licensed drivers however accounted for 9.1% of drivers in all crashes and 6.1% of drivers in deadly crashes.

Those stats embody these at fault and people simply concerned within the collisions.

Motorists 65 to 74 accounted for 13.4% of licensed drivers whereas representing 7.1% of drivers in all crashes and eight.8% of drivers in deadly crashes, the council mentioned.