Calls for major change to driving laws as alarming stats reveal millions may be ‘driving illegally’
MILLIONS of British drivers may not be able to see well enough to be behind the wheel, eye experts warn.
The Association of Optometrists found six in 10 of its members have seen a patient who is driving illegally within the past month.
It estimates a tenth of the more than 30million British motorists may have sub-standard vision.
Public polling found a third would not hang up their keys if their vision deteriorated.
Chief executive Adam Sampson said: “This is a stark reminder of why UK roads are not as safe as they should be.”
Surveys of 910 optometrists, medical experts who conduct eye tests and health checks, found half of them have multiple law-breaking patients.
Sight changes are gradual which means that many drivers are unaware that their vision has deteriorated
Professor Julie-Anne Little
DVLA rules stipulate drivers should be able to read a numberplate from 66 feet (20m) away.
They should also be able to read at least six rows of letters on the Snellen wall chart.
People must also report to the DVLA when they lose part or all of their sight.
Polls of 2,081 members of the public found 31 per cent reckon they have had a near miss with someone who could not see properly.
Nearly one in three – 29 per cent – admit they would keep driving even if they struggled to see.
Call for new eye testing for drivers
Professor Julie-Anne Little, past chair of the AOP, said: “Sight changes are gradual which means that many drivers are unaware that their vision has deteriorated over time.
“Having poor eyesight has been shown to slow reaction times and the ability to drive safely.
“It doesn’t take much for one mistake to result in a serious collision with catastrophic consequences.”
Mr Sampson added: “The number plate test is not an adequate test of vision.
“The law should be updated to ensure all drivers are required to have their vision checked and this should be done by reliable means.”
TWO MILLION BRITS' SIGHT AT RISK
MORE than 2million people in the UK are living with sight loss – costing the economy £36 billion a year.
Over one million A&E attendances in 2022 were for eye-related conditions.
Every year, 250 people lose their sight because of treatable conditions such as glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness.
As many as half of all people with glaucoma are undiagnosed, according to Specsavers.
The optician has called for a National Eye Health strategy to improve and standardise eye care access for everyone in England.
The eye care backlog accounts for over 650,000 patients, approximately 10 per cent of all those on NHS waiting lists.