The standard of drivers ‘ eyesight has again been raised as a serious road safety issue.

Following on from a recent failed attempt to get the government to revisit eyesight regulations for drivers, a new report has revealed the extent of the problem under the current rules.

It has concluded that over 700,000 drivers could currently be driving with defective eyesight.

Sight lines

Between 28 October and 10 November 2024,  27 police forces across England and Wales conducted number plate sight tests on 3,010 drivers.

Three of the four police forces in Wales (75%) and 24 of the 39 forces in England (61.5%). A total of 3010 drivers’ eyesight tests were included in the following data analysis.

Results show that 1.7% failed the number plate test – the equivalent of 720,642 motorists.

The number plate tests were carried out as part of the ‘Is Your Vision Roadworthy?’ campaign.

This was run by the charity Eye Health UK, which worked alongside Rob Heard, a road safety campaigner and chair of the Older Drivers Forum.

It was incorporated into  the National Police Chief Council’s (NPCC) Operation Dark Night (ODN) campaign, which ran from Monday, 28th October and Sunday, 10th November 2024

The picture

Seeing the results :

  • 3.2% of all drivers stopped were issued police warnings or had their licence revoked.
  • 1.4% of all drivers stopped had their driving licence revoked – 38 revocations were immediate (on the spot) and six were pending, awaiting action from DVLA.
  • 40% of motorists had not had a sight test in the last two years, as recommended.
  • One third of drivers had been prescribed corrective lenses for driving. Half of drivers who failed the roadside sight test were not wearing their required glasses when stopped by police.
  • The roadside test failure rate was highest amongst older drivers – 10.2% of 81 to 90-year-olds failed.
  • Drivers aged over 41 represented 62.7% of those stopped for an eyesight check (1883 drivers). •
  • The lowest failure rate was observed among the 25 to 40 year olds at 0.4%.

 

Focussing the facts

These results are published in a new report, written by Dr Carol Hawley of Warwick Medical School, on behalf of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), University of Warwick, Older Drivers Forum and Eye Health UK.

The report aims to raise awareness of motorists’ responsibility to ensure their vision meets minimum legal eyesight standards and comes as traffic volumes on Britain’s roads are set to peak during the 2024 festive getaway.

David Cartwright, optometrist and chair of Eye Health UK, said: “90% of information needed for driving is visual. Even a minor reduction in vision can slow reaction times and impair your ability to recognise hazards or judge speed.

“It can also cause fatigue and affect contrast sensitivity – essential for adjusting to glare and driving in low light conditions. Having regular eye tests, every two years or sooner if you notice a change in your vision is essential to keep you and other road users safe.”

Visualising danger

Six people lost their lives on UK roads in 2023 and around 3,000 are seriously injured every year due to drivers or riders with uncorrected or defective eyesight.

Rob Heard said: “This report highlights that many people are still taking the risk to drive without knowing they have suitable vision for driving and failing to have an eyesight test every two years.

“Peoples’ sight deteriorates gradually, often without them being aware and often without them realising their sight may have fallen below the legal limit.

“Regular sight tests with an optometrist are an effective way of not only making sure we are safe to drive on the road, but also detecting medical conditions early so they can be treated, potentially extending a person’s driving career.”

Chief constable Jo Shiner, NPCC lead for roads policing, said: “Personal responsibility is the starting point for safer drivers. Making sure your eyesight meets the standards of vision for driving is really important and something only you can do.

“If you have any doubts whatsoever about your sight please see an optician, this will keep you and all other road users safe while you are driving.”

Can you see?

An important outcome of the campaign is that over a two-week period 50 drivers were found to have been driving with eyesight which did not meet current standards, and 42 of them had their driving licences revoked to ensure that they do not continue to pose a risk to other road users.

This campaign serves as a reminder to drivers that eyesight should not be taken for granted, and drivers must ensure that their sight meets driving standards.

Regular eyesight checks are recommended for all drivers as is the importance of wearing the correct glasses or lenses at all times when driving.