Eye tests no longer fit for purpose

GEM has warned that the driver eyesight regulatory system in the UK is ‘crude and outdated’ and urged drivers of all ages to get their eyes tested independently.

The eyesight test was introduced to the driving test in 1937 and has only been amended in minor ways over the years.

GEM road safety officer Neil Worth said: “Poor eyesight is linked to more than 3,000 fatal and serious injury collisions every year. We continue to be concerned that there are too many people driving whose eyesight has deteriorated to a dangerous level. This puts their own safety at risk, as well as the safety of others sharing the same road space.

“A detailed professional eye examination will mean any problems can be identified and – in the vast majority of cases – corrected, meaning the risks are reduced considerably.

“So many people are staying behind the wheel into their eighties and beyond. This, coupled with the greater volume of traffic and an increase in distractions, both inside and outside the vehicle, points to the clear need for more regular and detailed eyesight testing.”

GEM believes all drivers should have an eye test every two years, just to ensure there are no safety concerns about their vision and to deal with any issues at an early stage.

The organisation is also calling for every new driver to produce evidence of a recent eye test when first applying for a licence, and to obtain a mandatory vision test every 10 years in line with licence renewal.