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Our Roads Policing Unit (RPU) are supporting a national two-week road safety campaign that asks all drivers, “Is your vision roadworthy?”
Commencing on Monday 28 October, RPU officers will be conducting roadside eyesight tests aimed at reducing killed and seriously injured (KSI) collisions as a result of poor vision.
If a driver fails to read a number plate at 20 metres in daylight conditions, the driver will be referred to the DVLA to take any appropriate action.
The tests will take place when it is suspected that a driver may have defective vision following incidents of careless or dangerous driving, a collision or failure to see or abide by a road traffic sign. In addition, drivers may also voluntarily take part in a roadside eyesight test.
It’s estimated up to 10% of drivers on the road at any one time do not meet the eyesight standards which represents over 3 million drivers.
Inspector James Freeman, who leads the force’s response explains:
Good vision is essential for driving because it allows us to see, react and avoid emerging hazards. In fact, almost all information required by our brain to make good driving decisions comes from visual detection.
Often, it’s the gradual deterioration that greatly affects drivers as they don’t realise that over time their sight may have fallen below the legal limit for driving or they try to adjust their driving patterns by not driving at night when it’s dark.
As we get older, our sight naturally declines and many of us need glasses. It’s problematic if it remains uncorrected.
I hope that by highlighting the importance of good vision and the role it plays in keeping everyone safe, that we can encourage more people to have their eyesight tested.
The law or standards of vision for driving says a driver must:
o be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres.
o meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale.
o have an adequate field of vision.
General advice regarding eyesight tests:
o Regular sight tests are an effective way to detect medical conditions early so they can be treated.
o It’s recommended that everyone has an eye test every two years, or sooner if they notice a change in their vision.
o Glasses or contact lenses must be worn every time an individual drives if they need them to meet the standards of vision for driving.
o DVLA must be informed if an individual has any eye health problems with their eyesight that affects both of their eyes, or the remaining eye if they only have one eye
o DVLA does not need to be informed if a person is short or long sighted or colour blind. An individual also does not need to inform them if they have had surgery to correct short sightedness and can now meet the eyesight standards
o An individual must be able to read a car number plate from 20m
o An individual must also meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale
o An individual must also have an adequate field of vision