The call supports a report issued last week by the European Transport Safety Council, which criticises current approaches to assessing driver medical fitness.
Facing the continued absence of a robust medical fitness process, GEM is reminding individual drivers to ensure they take responsibility for their own safety and fitness to drive. Family members should also be wise to the early signs of unsafe driving in their senior relatives, GEM says.
The starting point for establishing fitness to drive in the UK – and in many other European countries – is still an assessment based on age, despite studies showing that specific medical conditions, substance abuse, mental disorders, epilepsy and diabetes are also important factors when it comes to medical fitness to drive.
GEM chief executive Neil Worth comments: "This report confirms that mandatory age-based screening of older drivers is ineffective in preventing severe collisions.
It is concerning that the only requirement in law for anyone aged over 70 is to declare every three years that they are fit to drive
"We believe that an age-based self-certification system should be replaced by regular medical examinations for drivers of all ages, with checks on eyesight, hearing, vision and blood pressure.
"However, in the absence of an effective re-testing framework, it's vital that we each take responsibility for our own safety.
"We want as many people as possible to enjoy the freedom of the open road as drivers, but safety must be the priority."
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