It’s frustrating that it has taken the words of a senior coroner at an inquest into the deaths of four people at the hands of drivers with poor vision, for the mainstream media to cotton on to the fact that the mechanisms in place for ensuring drivers’ vision are up to scratch is not fit for purpose.
It has been perfectly clear to anyone with an iota of common sense that the system is, at best, broken and, at worst, non-existent.
The most damning indictment of just how out of touch the DVLA is on this matter, was senior coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley’s revelation about the criminal offence of failing to tell the agency of a new or worsening eyesight condition from the age of 70, which is punishable by a fine of up to £1,000.
Staggeringly, the DVLA has never referred a case to the police where a condition was not disclosed for consideration for a prosecution.
Terry Wilcox, of Hudgell Solicitors, representing the families of three of the victims at the inquest, summed it up perfectly: ‘People ignore what they are told when it doesn’t suit their lifestyle, and in reality there is nothing in place to stop selfish people putting others at risk by getting back behind the wheel.’
Two change.org petitions are likely to bring the issue to a wider audience, but it would be good if the sector could get its ducks in a row in time for when that happens. Mandating eye tests every two years for those over the age of 70 is a sensible and proportionate place to start. Utilising remote refraction would be beneficial too, even as the first layer in a visual assessment that then refers to an optometrist for approval.
The DVLA’s aim should be eradicating deaths caused by drivers with poor vision by 2030. The optometric sector is here to help make that happen.
