This week our chair has attended as an expert witness the inquest in Preston Lancashire of 4 people in 3 separate collisions caused by drivers with defective vision below the legal ‘Standards for Vision’ for driving.

The legal ’Standards of Vision’ for driving are:

• An individual must be able to read a car number plate from 20m
• An individual must also meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale
• An individual must also have an adequate field of vision

Details of these cases can be found https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrv1g2yl0xo

In the summing up of the case HM Senior Coroner, Dr James Adeley, said the enforcement of visual standards of motorists were “Ineffective and unsafe”. He has subsequently sent a prevent future deaths report to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexandrer asking for action to be taken. Dr Adeley said he labelled the licensing system as the “laxest in Europe” as he pointed out the UK was one of only three countries to rely upon self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive.

Dr Adeley said it was also concerning that the UK was the only European country to issue licences without any visual checks for a continuous period up to the age of 70.

The Older Drivers Forum is supporting recommendations for compulsory eyesight testing with an Optician when we renew our licences at the age of 70 and every renewal thereafter. Ideally we would like to see such testing when we apply for our first licence from 17 years, and then every 10 years along with renewal of our photo card driving licence.

The only legal time we have our sight checked is when we undertake our driving test and the examiner asks if you to read a number plate at 20m affixed to a vehicle. After this it is a self-certification that you can read a number plate at 20m at all subsequent licence renewals.

However, if the Police stop you and suspect you have defective vision, they can ask you undertake a 20m number plate check in good daylight conditions. If you fail this you may have your licence revoked within minutes by the DVLA, pending you proving you can now meet the ‘Standards of Vision’ for driving with a full sight test with an optometrist.

The current 20m number plate is no longer fit for purpose in informing if a driver has suitable vision for driving. Research from Dr Carol Hawley shows that this alone is a poor method of checking visual acuity and more extensive test is needed to look at a driver’s visual acuity, peripheral vision and contrast sensitivity.

The Forum recommend that all drivers have an optician’s eyesight test at least every 2 years. Nearly 90% of driving is visual and we need good vision to see hazards and react to them.

The tragic circumstances highlighted in this inquest clearly show that self-certification does not work, and a more robust system is created to ensure all drivers have suitable vision for driving and that the DVLA are informed when this is not the case. We MOT our cars every year, we need an MOT on ourselves to make sure we can see safely to drive.

Our Chair, Rob Heard MBE, appeared on BBC Breakfast today (Friday 18^th April 2025) to explain the current situation and discuss what needs to be done. To view this click on this link https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002b0m9/breakfast-18042025 the conversation starts at 8.15am

Following this appearance today John 81 from West Sussex contacted us and explains what we should all do to remain safe on the road. John, a fine example, said “I was dismayed to hear about those people who lost their lives owing to drivers who had defective sight. Now, my driving licence came up for renewal at the end of April this year on my 82nd birthday.
I drive regularly, I enjoy driving and think I am quite a good driver – don’t we all?
I have worn glasses for distance vision for a good many years – and always were them when driving. I am aware my eyesight is not as good as it was and I don’t like driving at night on unlit roads and try to avoid doing this especially in winter.

I received a paper renewal form from the DVLA and if I recall correctly, it said when did you last have your eyes tested. Actually, it was at least 6 – 8 years ago, so I had my eyes tested a couple of weeks ago as I thought my new licence wouldn’t be granted as I hadn’t been tested for such a long time and I’m now 82. My eye test showed my eyesight is still quite good and I have a new prescription for glasses.
I filled in the DVLA online renewal form, and I think it just said ‘is your eyesight up to the required standard,’ or something like that. I replied yes – but how were they able to know if this was the case?

Certainly, at my age I would expect to have to prove my eyesight was good enough to drive in order to renew my licence. So, I am fully in favour of a more stringent stance by the DVLA regarding ‘eyesight testing/ability’ before issuing licences – old or younger”