One in four concerned about someone they know driving with poor vision, new figures reveal

27 November 2024

New research from eye experts echo these findings, with six in 10 optometrists having seen a patient in the last month who continues to drive despite their vision being below the legal standard – a sharp rise, up from four in 10 five years ago
Half of these (51%) report having multiple patients breaking the law
While nearly one in five Britons (19%) say they have had a collision either as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist with a motorist they believe had poor vision
Almost a third (29%) of motorists admit they would continue to drive despite knowing their vision is below the legal standard
The Association of Optometrists is calling on the Department for Transport to make a long overdue change to the inadequate number plate test, first introduced in 1937
MPs will today be petitioned by the Association of Optometrists to take action
The Association of Optometrists is providing advice on how to approach difficult conversations with friends and family who they think are driving with poor vision.

Most optometrists in the UK have seen a patient in the last month who continues to drive despite being told their vision does not meet the legal standard, new poll data has revealed.

Almost six in every 10 (56%) said they have a patient who remains on the UK’s roads regardless of their poor vision – a sharp increase from four in 10 in 2019. While half of these (51%) say they have more than one patient who continues to drive illegally.

The research comes from the Association of Optometrists, as it calls for all drivers to be required by law to have their vision checked when they first apply for a licence, and when renewing their driving licence. Every 10 years for most people and every three years for those over 70.

The findings are supported by a poll carried out among the public which showed that as many as one in every seven (14%) people say they know a relative, friend or co-worker is driving despite having eyesight below the legal standard.

A third of optometrists (32%) also say the number of patients they are advising not to drive due to poor vision has increased in the last three years.

Only two-thirds of the public who were motorists said they would stop driving completely if a test showed their vision had fallen below the legal standard – more than one in 20 (6%) would continue driving as normal.

The figures follow a number of high-profile convictions where motorists had been told to stop driving either by an optometrist or the DVLA.

In one such case, Neil Pemberton from Lancashire had been told that his vision was extremely poor and not to drive back in 2013.

He later took an eye test in 2016 to be told he had no vision in his right eye and very poor vision in his left eye – but informed the DVLA there was nothing wrong with his eyesight when renewing his licence.

Almost a decade after being told not to drive, he fatally hit another man crossing the road.

Road Traffic Act 1937 no longer ‘fit for purpose’

The 1937 Road Traffic Act states that motorists must be able to read a vehicle number plate from 20 metres (approximately 65 feet) in good daylight. The Association of Optometrists argue that this leaves it to the individual to report their vision status when renewing a licence.

Almost two thirds (65%) of optometrists believe the DVLA guidance in the 1937 Act is ‘dangerously out of date’ and 63% believe it is putting people needlessly at risk of harm on UK roads.

Asked when they believed the laws on vision and driving were introduced, nearly half (48%) of Britons believed they were written in the 1980s or more recently, with only 2% of the nation stating the 1930s or before.

The vast majority (83%) of the public would like to see a standard whereby drivers’ sight must satisfy the vision standards at application and at the renewal of a driving licence, and that this is checked by an eye health professional.

Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists said: “Our latest research is a stark reminder of why our roads in the UK are not as safe as they should be. Many eye care professionals on the High Street have a patient, or multiple patients, who are driving with vision that is proven to be, via a medical check, below the minimum required for driving.

“In the UK, the number plate test is not an adequate test of vision. It is carried out only once with a driving instructor, not a trained eye health professional. A driver’s vision can then remain unchecked for the rest of their life. This approach is flawed and is out of step with many other countries who use a full sight test as the means to accurately ensure motorists have satisfactory vision to drive safely.

“What is deeply worrying is that we have a decade’s worth of evidence to highlight the risks, and the growing concern of eye experts. Change is never easy. There was huge opposition to drink driving laws and the mandatory use of seatbelts – but these interventions save lives. Our polling shows the majority of the public support the idea of mandatory regular sight tests for all drivers.

“That’s why we are calling on the Department for Transport to update the law to ensure all drivers are required to have their vision checked and this should be done by reliable means.”

Professor Julie-Anne Little, past chairman of the AOP and research optometrist said: “Sight changes are gradual which means that many drivers are unaware that their vision has deteriorated over time. But having poor eyesight has been shown to slow reaction times and the ability to drive safely - and it doesn’t take much for one mistake to result in a serious collision with catastrophic consequences.

“As an optometrist, I’ve sometimes had to sit down with a patient to explain that their vision is simply no longer good enough to drive. It is a difficult conversation, but one that is absolutely necessary – preventing them from putting themselves and others at risk. Which is why we’re urging friends and family to take the time to consider what they want to say, approach it with respect but to tackle the conversation if they have concerns over a relative or someone they know who is driving with poor vision.”

The AOP recommends everyone should have their sight tested every two years, or more often if their optometrist recommends it. It’s the easiest way of making sure your visual acuity (a measure of how sharp or clear your vision is) meets the legal standard and is road safe while the law continues to fail road users.

Additional Information

A quarter (26%) of Britons say they are concerned about someone they know driving despite having poor vision
A third (31%) of the public believe they have had a near miss with a motorist they suspected had vision below the legal standard
A Freedom of Information request to the DVLA in July 2023 showed the number of people contacting the Agency over a person’s fitness to drive – with almost 50,000 notifications submitted, was up 82% from 2021
Among the most popular approaches to tackling the number of motorists with poor vision on the UK’s roads were mandatory regular sight tests for all drivers (60% in favour); more frequent vision checks for older drivers (54%) and public awareness campaigns about the risks of driving with poor vision (40%)
However, most (52%) optometrists believe the public are not generally becoming more aware of the dangers of driving with poor vision.

As part of the study, those who had concerns about someone they know driving with poor vision were asked about their most worrying experiences:

‘They almost hit a police car on [the] passenger side because they “didn’t see the car was there”. It’s bright yellow’
‘They continued to drive long distances and relied on a front passenger whose sight was poor as well to help check out for hazards’
‘I noticed a friend who seemed to be having difficulty seeing clearly while on the road. They were swerving between lanes and frequently missed traffic signals, which raised alarm bells for me. It was particularly troubling because it seemed like they were unaware of their impairment, putting not only themselves at risk but also other road users’
‘My brother who is in his early 70's discovered through eye tests that he had a problem in one of his eyes that caused him to have blurred and reduced vision. He continued to drive’
‘The person has very low vision, I've encouraged him to stop driving but he wouldn't listen, I'm just concerned about his children and his wife’.

More information is available at www.aop.org.uk/dontswerve

Ends

Notes to Editors

Association of Optometrists

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is the voice of the optical profession, representing over 80% of practising optometrists. The AOP elevates the work of its members, safeguards their interests, and champions eye health across the UK. For more information, visit www.aop.org.uk

About the Research

Voice of Optometry research was carried out online among 910 UK optometrists by the Association of Optometrists between September – October 2024.

Public research was carried out online among 2,081 UK adults by Mortar. Fieldwork was undertaken between the 28 – 29 October 2024. Mortar is a member of the British Polling Council.