Every cloud has a silver lining even when you have to give up driving

From time to time, I am asked to help older drivers dispose of their car when they are considering giving up driving. This can be very difficult for the individuals concerned and a thorny issue to tackle especially if the driver concerned does not recognise their age-related impairment.
The DVLA eyesight rule states that as long as the standard UK number plate can be clearly read from 20 metres, and you have adequate field of vision, tested by visual acuity, then you are good to go. Opticians will test these but only if asked of course. However, there is so much more to safe driving than that.
Mostly, a driver will recognise the signals when they are not comfortable with driving any more, and close relatives can play a part here if they notice judgement errors, loss of confidence, and then perhaps gently suggest maybe the time has come to think about giving up behind the wheel. Before the days of parking sensors, many drivers, and not just the elderly, relied on parking by braille to get into a tight space!
The problem is that after a lifetime of mobility independence, to suggest someone gives this all up can be like walking on broken glass but there are significant benefits to soften the blow and help with the decision.
For example, as a rough guide, I have calculated that by no longer driving, and selling the car, there are some £1,500 per annum savings to be had. Add the road tax, fuel, annual insurance premiums (which can become punitive once over age 80) and car value depreciation plus servicing, Mot and other general maintenance costs like tyres and so on, and you are easily up to the equivalent of £30 per week. This then will pay for a few taxi trips to the shops each week and no more worry about car ownership.
It also frees up garage space, releases some cash and allows all the stress to simply evaporate.
I witnessed my own father start to lose his distance judgement and know just how tricky this is to address.