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Calls to make eye tests compulsory for drivers

Up to four million UK motorists fail to meet minimum eyesight requirements for driving. Do we need stricter rules?

Eye tests for motorists

Text: David Williams / Photos: Otis Clay

31st January 2012

I’m driving a Jaguar S-Type through a busy town centre: road signs, pedestrians, trucks and corners compete for my attention. But something’s wrong. It’s hard to stay in lane, I have to swerve around a cyclist I failed to spot in time and I nearly hit a van when it lurches out of a driveway. Intoxicated? It feels like it, but in fact I’m in a simulator and simply doing what millions do – driving with poor eyesight.

Experts estimate that around four million UK motorists fail to meet even the legal minimum eyesight requirement, with many more suspected of falling well below the standard. The rules state that driving test candidates must be able to read a number plate at 65 feet – with glasses or lenses if they need them – before the driving part of the test. But it’s relatively undemanding: only 1,500-2,000 fail each year.

What many forget, however, is that legally, they should meet this same standard as long as they hold a licence. And the evidence suggests that thousands don’t, not least because our vision worsens with advancing years and the average age of our driving population is rising.

Now, as the Government decides whether to make changes to the vision test, the UK’s eyesight driving regulations are under attack, with experts saying they’re no longer fit for purpose. Which explains my trip in that Jaguar driving simulator to see for myself.

First I drive a seven-mile course at Brunel University’s School of Engineering and Design with my usual 20/20 vision. It’s easy. Then, Dr Mark Young – who recently conducted the UK’s most comprehensive study of vision and driving – hands me special glasses that reduce my vision to the legal minimum. I can just about see the number plate at 65 feet. Things are a little blurry and I feel less confident. It’s hard to stay in lane and concentrate. I don’t feel in full control.

Next, my vision is adjusted to just below the legal minimum. Now – according to figures from BBC medical expert Dr Mark Porter – my eyesight is the same as that of those four million other motorists. The effect is alarming. It’s harder to tell when the car in front slows down, forcing me to jab the brakes. I can still see bends, but when I reach them it’s harder to keep a steady course and I’m struggling to pick out hazards. I’ve missed several speed limit signs and Dr Young says I’m going too fast. Finally, I stop and turn off the ignition. It’s been a rough ride.

“The results of our study are clear. At a time when there are more distractions and traffic on the roads, the current eyesight test is not fit for purpose,” says Dr Young, who is a leading driver behaviour specialist. He adds that the current eyesight test – introduced in 1937 – is flawed because it only tests visual acuity (sharpness), which is “not the most important factor when you’re driving a car”.

Dr Young says the test should also examine a driver’s field of view (as is done in some US states) to check whether motorists can see and react to what’s happening around them He adds: “We also need regular, compulsory eyesight checks for all drivers to identify those with poor vision. Too many are driving with no margin for error – what if a child runs out in front?

“The rules should change so that no one receives a provisional driving licence until they have passed a proper eye test.”

In addition, he points out that, once drivers have passed their test, there are no further compulsory checks on their eyesight. As a result, no one knows exactly how many of the UK’s 31 million motorists are ‘driving blind’. Even at age 70, drivers reapplying for a licence only have to tick a box to confirm that their vision is at the required standard.

Dr Young’s views put him on a direct collision course with the Government, which is suggesting that the current number plate test is relaxed to fall in line with EU regulations. It proposes that the distance should fall from 20 metres to 17.5 for new-style number plates. A decision is expected later this year.

However, in a recent RAC Foundation survey of 991 adults, four out of five respondents backed compulsory eye tests for drivers each decade, while 79 per cent said they were prepared to pay for the tests.

“Introducing an eye test to coincide with the 10-year driving licence renewal period would be a medically robust and practical way to ensure vision is up to scratch,” says Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation. His organisation wants a consultation room eye test for drivers. “The plate test gives only a very basic indication, but a full exam looks at all aspects of sight and its effect on driving,” he adds.

The RAC’s argument is backed up by the figures. In the Brunel study of 19 drivers, those who barely met the minimum legal eyesight standard were only able to recall three-quarters of the six road signs they encountered, compared to 100 per cent for those with 20/20 vision. A huge 62 per cent strayed out of their lane more frequently while driving with slightly blurred vision. They also found it harder to concentrate, which could lead to fatigue.

A survey of 2,021 adults by the RSA Insurance Group – which sponsored the Brunel study and together with road safety charity Brake is demanding tougher eye tests – found that almost a fifth of drivers struggled to read signs while driving, while a fifth hadn’t had an eye test in two years.

Eyecare Trust research reveals that one in 10 drivers would fail a driving test if they took it today, due to poor eyesight. And in our own Auto Express number plate test, conducted by Specsavers, four out of 20 drivers failed.

However, road transport minister Mike Penning told Auto Express: “Britain has some of the safest roads in the world and licensing rules have an important role in maintaining this record.

“The current eyesight testing arrangements ensure that only those who are safe to drive are allowed to, without placing unnecessary restrictions or burdens on motorists. The number plate test is a simple and effective assessment of vision that can be reproduced regularly by the police at the roadside, and by motorists themselves.

“DVLA reminds drivers of the ongoing requirement to meet the eyesight standard and that failure to meet it is an offence – this is also part of the Highway Code.”

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and the AA are also not convinced that the case is strong enough to justify the expense of tightening the rules.But Dr Young is adamant, saying: “It’s time to ditch the plate test and replace it with a computer exam built into the Theory Test. It could be equivalent to reading a number plate at 20 metres, but should incorporate a field-of-view test, too.” He also wants drivers to be re-tested each decade.

“Nobody knows how good their sight is until it’s tested,” he continues. “If your sight has deteriorated and you’ve become used to it, you may think it’s perfectly good – until it’s too late. Making the right changes now would save lives.”

The study results
Dr Mark Young of Brunel University’s School of Engineering and Design is a leading expert on driver behaviour. He tested 19 motorists on the university’s advanced driving simulator to determine the effect poor eyesight has when at the wheel.

Vision Lane departures (Average) Road signs spotted (Average out of 6) Test difficulty (%**)
20/20 4.5 6 27.3
EU standard* 7.4 4.6 41.3
Poor/blurry 8.4 4.6 54.9

Source: Brunel University study of 19 motorists, 2011.
*EU standard is slightly below UK standard. **The higher the percentage, the harder candidates found it.

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1 Comment

Speccy 4 eyes...

I personally know drivers who each know they should be wearing glasses to drive. But unfortunately they have one over riding issue that seems to be above safety of everybody else and the requirements of the Highway code. "Vanity"!. And they're not all female either. Nowadays I refuse to get into their cars if they drive until they wear there glasses. And something that always becomes clear when they are wearing their glasses is how much smoother the journey is (as well as safer).

By gazortow on 31 January, 2012, 12:59pm

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Eye tests for motorists
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Current eyesight regulations

The eyesight test was introduced in 1937 and has been amended occasionally to reflect changing number plate sizes. Immediately before the driving test, the examiner asks the candidate to read a new-style number plate (beginning with two letters) on a parked vehicle 65 feet away, or an old-style plate at 67 feet. If that can’t be read, then the candidate is asked to read a second one. If they can’t read that, the examiner measures the distance to a third plate, and if that can’t be read, the driving test is cancelled, the DVLA is informed and the candidate’s licence is revoked. When they first apply for a licence, and when they renew at 70, drivers must declare that they meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving, and whether they need corrective lenses to drive. They don’t have to confirm whether lenses are worn at each 10-year renewal. The law also requires all licence holders to inform the DVLA about any medical condition they have that may affect their ability to drive – including poor eyesight.
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