Quarter of drivers don't bother getting eyes checked
Almost a quarter of motorists have not had an eyesight test in the past two years, a survey suggests.
The poll, commissioned by the insurer Churchill, revealed that 24 per cent of motorists had not had their vision checked by a professional optometrist within that period.
Drivers must be able to read a number plate 20 metres away as part of the driving test, but that is the only time they are required to prove their sight is good enough for them to drive.
It comes amid growing public concern that some drivers, especially older ones, have eyesight quality that is below the legal minimum.
A senior coroner earlier this year said that ' self-reporting of visual conditions permits drivers to lie', while Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, has said she was 'open to considering' mandatory eye tests.
Nicholas Mantel, the head of motor insurance at Churchill, said: 'It seems surprising that UK drivers never need to prove that their eyesight is safe enough for driving once they have passed their driving test.
'What is even more remarkable is that some people continue to drive despite suspecting that their eyesight isn't good enough – or are doing so without wearing their prescription lenses or glasses.
'Our research suggests that there's overwhelming public support to make our roads safer by introducing compulsory eyesight tests for drivers.'
Churchill's survey, carried out by Opinium, polled 2,000 adults, of whom just over 1,300 were drivers.
Some 12 per cent of surveyed drivers admitted they either thought their sight was not road legal, or were unsure if it was.
About 83 per cent of UK adults would support compulsory eye tests for drivers every decade, Churchill's poll revealed.
That figure rose to 88 per cent for those who would be in favour of sight exams every three years once drivers reached the age of 70.
The law says a licence holder must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they are no longer fit to drive, which includes if their eyesight has deteriorated beyond the legal minimum.
Ms Alexander received a prevention of future deaths report from the senior coroner for Lancashire in April after four pensioners were killed by drivers with failing eyesight.
'The motorists had ignored the advice of opticians that their sight had deteriorated to a level at which they should no longer be behind the wheel,' said Dr James Adeley.
Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that, in 2023, 240 people were injured and seven killed in crashes in which defective eyesight was a factor. That was the most casualties since 2017, when the total was 262.
A DfT spokesman said: 'Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.
'The NHS recommends adults should have their eyes tested every two years and drivers are legally required to inform the DVLA if they have a condition which affects their eyesight. We are committed to improving road safety and continue to explore ways to achieve this.'
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