Motorists Under Threat From Drivers With Bad Eyesight

Research has revealed that one third of UK drivers are at risk of breaking the law and causing car accidents as a result of driving with poor eyesight. Many of these motorists are thought to be elderly whose eyesight has deteriorated over time- however 13 million drivers are not having their eyes tested as often as they should, putting other motorists in danger.

Eyesight or crash site?

How many times do we hear motorists saying I didn’t see it, or it came out of nowhere? Well it has been proven that over 5 million motorists have eyesight which is so bad they are a hazard on the road and to fellow motorists.

Driving with poor vision is an offence and there is a potential fine of £1,000 for those caught out. Added to that is the threat of 3 penalty points and possible disqualification for those found breaking the law.

Motorists should be able to read a number plate from a distance of 20.5 metres (which is about 5 car lengths) in good light. If a driver is asked to do this and cannot meet the required standard, they are committing an offence and as a result their insurance may be invalidated.

Research has also shown that men were nearly twice as bad as women when it comes to not having up to date eye tests. While more than one in five had not had an eye test in the past five years, and more than 37% of drivers had been prescribed glasses but almost half said they regularly forgot to wear them.

One of the reasons there are so many motorists who are driving without good vision is because there is no legal obligation which states that drivers have to have regular eyesight tests but you are required to tell the DVLA if you develop any medical problem that affects your ability to drive. If you don’t tell them it is seen as a criminal offence.

Poor eyesight costs more than just a pair of glasses:

Your insurance could be affected if you are involved in an accident where your defective eyesight was a contributory factor. Your insurance company may well argue that you were negligent and refuse to pay out for the costs.

Drivers fall into the trap of self-assessment and think that they have perfect vision; however this in most cases is not the case. Changes in your vision may not be apparent to you, so it is imperative that you have your eyes tested at least once every two years by a professional and qualified optician.

There have been petitions urging the Government to clamp down on drivers who drive with uncorrected sight, such as Fifth Gear’s Vicki Butler-Henderson, Driven’s Penny Mallory and the RT. Hon Earl of Caithness who helped Specsavers deliver their petition, which was signed by 5,000 British motorists.

Driving carefully and keeping your eyes peeled is essential, with one third of UK drivers at risk of breaking the law and causing car accidents as a result of driving with poor eyesight - motorists could also save themselves a fine of £1000 and up to three penalty points on their license.

- K.J.N -