Poor sighted drivers putting road users at risk

One in ten drivers have had an accident or a near miss because they were not wearing their glasses while driving.

A survey, commissioned by Specsavers to mark Road Safety Week (24-30 November), reveals that 26% of drivers have not had their sight checked since they passed their test. Of those, nearly half believe they would fail an eye examination.

‘These results show that a significant number of drivers are worryingly unsafe,’ says Helen Haughton, from road safety charity Brake.

‘Being perceptive and alert as a driver, especially on congested roads, is crucial. It is therefore vital that everyone has their eyes examined regularly to ensure they are not putting themselves or anyone else at risk.’

The poll of 2,000 drivers follows an announcement that new EU driving licences should include a driver’s eyecare prescription. The legislation, set to be introduced to member states from January 2011, will also force drivers to have eye examinations once every five years for a commercial licence and once every ten to 15 years for a private licence.

Specsavers founder Dame Mary Perkins welcomes UK adoption of the legislation. She says: ‘We have long campaigned for regular compulsory eye examinations for drivers, along with the need for drivers to carry a spare pair of glasses when driving. It is shocking to think that a British driver can go from the age of 17 to 80 without having a sight check. That presents a very real danger on our roads. We would like to see this EU legislation introduced in the UK and will do all in our power to urge the government to do so.’

The poll also revealed that 94% of those surveyed think drivers over the age of 60 should be made, by law, to have their eye sight regularly checked.

And 21% of drivers admit that they would happily get behind the wheel if they lost or broke their glasses. Five per cent would even use another person’s glasses in the hope that they were a similar prescription.

Moreover, despite it being law in Germany, Italy and Spain, most people who wear glasses or contact lenses in the UK don’t carry a spare pair with them when driving. Interestingly, 73% think that sight tests should be part of random roadside police checks.

An Association of Chiefs of Police Officers (ACPO), comments: ‘It is important that drivers have their eye sight tested regularly as changes in vision can result in their inability to see road signs clearly and judge distances. This can put themselves and other road users in danger.’

Surprisingly the public are in favour of drivers having to have regular eye examinations. 53% believe this should take place every two years, as recommended by optometrists, while a further 30% think every five years is about right. Only a mere 6% think it is unnecessary. Understandably, nine out of ten drivers would do this if it reduced their insurance premiums.

When asked why they did not have regular eye examinations, 13% say it is because they do not have the time to, whilst 21% say they cannot afford it and 18% simply cannot be bothered.

Specsavers has campaigned throughout the last decade for legislation to be introduced to make sight tests compulsory. Working with police constabularies across the UK and road safety charity Brake, the UK’s biggest optician has toured motor shows and county shows nationwide with its Drive Safe campaign trailer to screen drivers’ vision.

From these roadshows it has been concluded that one in four drivers would fail a sight test and should be wearing prescription glasses when driving.

The Specsavers roadshow research shows that one in 20 drivers get behind the wheel without their glasses, despite not being able to see the road ahead properly. Another 7% say that they do not wear specs at the moment but admit to struggling to see things clearly.

To find your nearest Specsavers store and book an eye examination, freephone 0800 0680 241 or log onto specsavers.co.uk. What’s more, to book a free hearing test at your nearest Specsavers store, visit specsavershearcare.com.