Motorists need eye tests every 10 years, say optometrists

Nine out of 10 experts say change is needed to improve road safety

MOTORISTS should be made to undergo eye tests every 10 years, leading experts have said.

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) warned that current laws concerning vision requirements for drivers were insufficient. They are among the most relaxed in Europe, and involve no mandatory eye exam aside from the requirement to read a number plate on a parked vehicle during the practical driving test.

This means a 17-year-old can drive for the rest of their life with no further checks.

Motorists must tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they have problems with their eyesight but licences continue to be renewed if they do not admit to difficulties.

Seven people were killed and 63 were seriously injured in accidents on Britain’s roads last year when “uncorrected, defective eyesight” was a contributory factor, Department for Transport data shows.

Nine out of 10 optometrists believe the current rules do not go far enough, the AOP said. More than a third had seen patients in the past month who continued to drive despite being told their vision was below the legal standard.

A separate poll of more than 2,000 road users found that 30 per cent had driven despite doubting their vision was adequate. Only 40 per cent said they would stop driving if they were told their vision was below the legal standard for driving.

Dr Julie-anne Little, an optometrist and AOP board member, said Britain “falls behind many other countries” due to its reliance on self-reporting and the initial number plate test.

“Because sight changes can be gradual, often people won’t realise their vision has deteriorated over time,” she said. “Our campaign is about reminding drivers that with a visit to their optometrist they cannot only make sure they meet the standard but help make our roads safer.”

Natalie Wade, a 28-yearold bride-to-be, suffered fatal injuries when she was knocked down by a car that was driven by a driver who had failed to declare his vision problems to the DVLA.

The accident happened as she was using a pelican crossing while shopping for her wedding dress in Rochford, Essex, in 2006.

The driver, John Thorpe, 78, of Hullbridge, Essex, was due to stand trial for causing death by dangerous driving but died before the case reached court. He was blind in one eye, and had poor sight in the other.

Ms Wade’s family have campaigned for regular sight tests to be made compulsory for drivers.

The hairstylist’s aunt, Brenda Gutberlet, 63, from Canvey Island, Essex, said: “How many more people have to die before our outdated laws on drivers’ medical fitness are changed?”

The DFT insisted that current requirements were adequate.

The AOP has launched a Don’t Swerve A Sight Test campaign, urging people to get tested every two years.