View from the AOP: Driving and vision

The conversations that follow after a fatal road accident caused by poor eyesight frequently call for more stringent regulation around medical fitness to drive to prevent further accidents. Particularly when the motorist's eyesight was raised as a concern, the public rightly question why nothing was done to stop the driver from getting behind the wheel.

Last year the case of Poppy-Arabella Clarke, a three-year-old who died when a driver with poor sight hit her as she crossed the road, was all the more tragic since it was completely avoidable.

At our June Council meeting, an AOP position statement on driving and vision, which addresses some of these crucial areas, was considered by councillors alongside updated member guidance on driving and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).