THERE is an old adage that age is just a number.

When it comes to taking our place behind the wheel it is true that older drivers' age and experience can make them fare far better on the roads than their younger counterparts.

Despite their advancing years, many mature drivers remain safe on our roads and have many more years experience to draw on when reacting to a situation they may be faced with.

While the passage of time may have widened since they took their driving test in comparison to today's young motorists, you are never too old to learn - and can gain great benefit from doing so which is why the website launched by RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) will prove to be a useful tool.

With funding from the Department for Transport, the website olderdrivers,org provides information and advice aimed at helping older people adapt to changes in their driving to stay safe on the road.

The website enables them to update their driving skills and knowledge to maintain their freedom and independence on the road, as well as advice for families or friends who are concerned about a loved one's driving.

It will help drivers to:- recognise whether and how their driving is changing; find out what they can do to cope with these changes, such as change when and where they drive, adapt their car or take driver assessment or training; find local driving assessment or refresher training; understand the law about health conditions and driving and how to renew their driving licence and plan for the need to change when and where they drive, and if it becomes necessary, to retire from driving.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA's head of road safety, says: "The older we are, the more experience we have as drivers. This is one of the reasons why older drivers tend to be safer and more considerate drivers. However, our health and fitness often begins to decline as we grow older. Our eyesight, physical condition and reaction times may not be as good as they once were, and we may develop age-related conditions, or be taking medications that can affect our driving.

"Many older drivers recognise that their driving ability is changing and alter when and where they drive to compensate - but not all drivers do this. There comes a time when each of us needs to reduce our driving, or even stop altogether. Of course, this is different for each person; there isn't an age at which we automatically become unsafe to drive.

"The aim of the website is to help older people to continue to drive for as long as they are safe to do so, and to provide advice on making the decision to retire from driving if they are no longer able to drive safely."

Bradford pensioner's champion, Jean Walker, founder member of Bradford and District Senior Power, has 60 years experience behind the wheel.

The 83-year-old still drives, but not as much as she used to and finds it is more for convenience these days attending doctor's appointments, visiting the library and shopping in town.

Jean says while she is still safe behind the wheel she isn't as confident as she used to be mainly because of pressure from other motorists who don't have the patience.

"I enjoy it (driving) but I look at it now as a convenience," says Jean.

She welcomes the new website to help older drivers drive safely for longer. "Anything that helps and I think you have to approach these things with an open mind. I always say you have to learn, you are learning all the time and you are never too old to learn.

"But when you get to the day where you think you don't need to learn that is the day you should say 'I am packing it in' because at any age we have to learn."

Retired police officer and local driving instructor, Reg Cranage, from Ilkley, who is also a member of Ilkley Road Safety committee, welcomes the website.

"It is valuable if you can get people to listen and to listen that is the main thing. Things change and you have to keep current and the flow of traffic is different from when I started," he said.