Comment: 11.02.11: A dangerous road to go along

It beggars belief that the consultation for the standards relating to drivers' vision suggests relaxation (news).

Pretty much everyone agrees that the old-style number plate test needs to be replaced with an acuity standard and the rules generally toughened up. But the government leaves no confusion over how it sees the situation. The press release could have been written by Jeremy Clarkson. It boasts that Britain has some of the safest roads in the world but talks of avoiding 'unnecessary restrictions on people's independence' and 'allowing as many people to drive as possible'. It concludes that relaxation of standards is consistent with road safety. The government doesn't want legislation and it doesn't consider eyesight and driving to be a hot issue.