Women drivers too vain to wear specs

More than 3.8 million women motorists with vision problems admit to driving without their spectacles because they are embarrassed to look unfashionable, according to new research.

The 'Vanity and Vision' poll of over 1,500 female motorists conducted by insurer Sheilas' Wheels, revealed 11 per cent of respondents admitted to being involved in an accident or near-miss in the past 12 months as a result of poor vision.

Figures also revealed that more than a third (34 per cent) of women polled feel 'self conscious' in glasses and almost a quarter (23 per cent) feel that their spectacles make them feel 'unfashionable'. Just over a quarter (26 per cent) questioned admitted they had chosen fashion sunglasses over prescription lenses at least once while driving.