The DVLA must have a more robust process of assessments, says one reader, while octogenarian Judi Fendley says she would be happy to undergo and pay for tests

Tragic accidents will not, I am afraid, be prevented simply by the compulsory testing of drivers over 80 (Scottish judge calls for compulsory tests for over-80 drivers after fatal crash, 22 October). It will also require a much more thorough procedure by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when assessing reports of a driver’s dementia diagnosis. A close friend of mine had a minor accident following her diagnosis of dementia and her family, quite rightly, took away her car keys. They also reported the dementia diagnosis to the DVLA, assuming that her licence would be taken away as a result.

The DVLA took months to carry out a supposed assessment, which consisted of requesting the medical records from the hospital where she had been seen a year earlier, when her condition was at a very early stage and she was still capable of driving safely.