Bad vision, no licence: Driver eyesight rules to tighten for over-70s

Drivers aged over 70 could face losing their licence if they fail an eyesight test that will be taken every three years. This is under new rules designed to to reduce the number of fatalities on UK roads.

The proposed changes are set to be published in the autumn as part of a new road safety strategy alongside other measures such as a reduction in drink-drive limits. They come months after a senior coroner declared the UK’s current eyesight rules to be “ineffective and unsafe”.

A Government source told The Times that, “In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying, with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2 billion per year.

“This Labour Government will deliver the first Road Safety Strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads”.

In April, HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley presented a report to the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, showcasing what he described as evidence of the UK’s current licensing regulations being the “laxest in Europe”.

Adeley contacted the Department for Transport following an inquest in which four pedestrians were killed in three separate incidents after being hit by older drivers who had failed to report their decaying eyesight to the DVLA.

“The current system for 'ensuring' drivers meet the visual legal standards is ineffective, unsafe and unfit to meet the needs of society,” Adeley said.

Such a view is echoed by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, with its director of policy and standards, Nicholas Lyes, saying: “While many drivers over the age of 70 are safe and competent, health issues and confidence can have an impact on driving abilities, so it is sensible to review whether changes need to be made.”

Auto Express recently investigated how poor eyesight can affect your ability to drive – particularly at night. The latest technology can now detail a more accurate eye prescription, providing what is described as “the sharpest vision of all time”. 

For now, however, this technology is not available en masse, with surveys by the RAC finding that the vast majority (85 per cent) of people think that headlight glare is getting worse and affecting their eyesight at night. The Government has since launched an investigation into headlight glare, its effects and how to reduce it – something that would go hand-in-hand with the latest eyesight test rules.

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