In focus: Drivers’ vision regulation brought into sharp focus

Road crashes involving a driver with poor vision are estimated to cause 2,900 casualties and cost the UK £33m per year, according to road safety charity Brake. Held between November 18 to 24, Road Safety Week emphasised life-saving messages while boosting awareness and engagement with methods of improving road safety, including improved eyesight regulations.

Optical professionals have been campaigning for regular, mandatory eyesight tests to be included as part of the licensing process for drivers in the UK for many years now. Minimum eyesight standards for driving in the UK published on gov.uk state an individual must be able to read a car number plate, with glasses or contact lenses if necessary, from 20 metres away. This rudimental test is carried out once at the start of the practical driving test, and only if it is failed do the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) require an eyesight test when reapplying for a licence.