California driving lesson · Driver Fitness & Seniors
Seniors: warning signs, renewal & programs
A 3-minute lesson from the California course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Driving takes physical, visual and mental abilities that can change with age. Knowing the warning signs and adjusting your habits can keep you driving safely longer.
Warning signs of an unsafe driver:
Getting lost in familiar places
Dents and scrapes on the car, fences, mailbox, garage doors, etc.
If you are 70 or older when your license expires, you must renew in person and pass a vision test. Other exams may be required; eLearning may be an option for a knowledge test.
DMV's Community Liaison represents public safety interests, focusing on senior and teen drivers. They cannot represent you at a hearing or reexamination but can provide tools and information.
Individuals with progressive dementia ultimately lose the ability to drive safely; caregivers, physicians, and law enforcement often must stop them from driving.
Drivers of any age who can no longer drive safely due to a physical or mental condition may exchange their license for a no-fee ID card, which serves as identification only.
A 71-year-old's license expires next month and she got her renewal notice. She must renew in person and pass a vision test; if a knowledge test is required, she may be able to choose eLearning when applying online.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
At what age must you renew your driver's license in person and pass a vision test?
65 years old or older
75 years old or older
70 years old or older
80 years old or older
Answer: 70 years old or older
Drivers 70 or older at renewal must renew in person and pass a vision test.