During the past five years around 50,000 drivers have lost their licence because of poor vision
According to the DVLA, nearly 50,000 drivers in the UK have had their licence refused or revoked during the past five years because of poor vision.
It might be one of the basic requirements of the practical driving test but it seems many motorists are suffering from dwindling eyesight that can’t be fixed.
Since 2012, the Driving and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) have refused or revoked 42,519 car and motorcycle licences due to the holder suffering from poor vision.
During the past five years around 50,000 drivers have lost their licence because of poor vision
A number of them will be down to medical conditions however many are caused by drivers failing roadside tests.
The DVLA also confirmed that 6,739 lorry and bus drivers during the past five years have had their licences taken off them after failing an eye sight test.
DVLA’s figures were released after Optometry Today applied for a Freedom of Information request.
They discovered that the number of car drivers and motorcyclists under the ‘group 1’ category who’d had their licence pulled had risen by 30% during the five year period, jumping from 6,960 in 2012 to 9,092 in 2016.
For ‘group 2’ drivers however the increase was much higher, rising to 45% – 893 bus and lorry drivers had their licence revoked in 2012, whilst in 2016 the figure had risen to 1,298.
Motorists in the UK should notify the DVLA if any medical condition arises that could affect their ability to drive safely on the road and this includes vision problems.
The Association of Optometrists recommend drivers book an eye test every two years to make sure they meet the legal standard for being on the road and behind the wheel.
Currently in the UK there are no measures in place which require drivers to take regular eye sight checks but it’s been suggested that a 20-metre number plate test be introduced which drivers must take on a regular basis.
Research carried out in the past by Confused.com, found that 55% of drivers thought that regular eye tests should be made a legal requirement in the UK.
“Without the correct prescription, motorists may have trouble judging distance, depth and could miss cars, cyclists and pedestrians in their wider field. They may also void their insurance policy if they do not notify their insurer of any conditions,” said Amanda Stretton from Confused.com.
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