23 November 2018
Optical Express has released statistics reporting that 60% of people who require glasses or contact lenses for distance vision have driven without them, therefore failing to meet the vision standards.
The study, which surveyed 2000 people, was commissioned by Optical Express to coincide with Road Safety Week (19–25 November).
According to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) regulations, people must wear glasses or contact lenses at all times when driving if they require them to meet the standards of vision for driving.
Despite this, 13% of people who completed the survey said they did not feel there was “any real harm” in driving without their prescribed glasses or lenses.
Clinical governance manager at Optical Express, Amy Laux, said: “Good eyesight is an essential requirement for safe driving, as drivers with poor vision increase their risk of collisions due to not seeing hazards and their reduced ability to react in time to dangers on the road.”
When asked why they drive without their required eyewear, 46% admitted they forgot, while 28% said they could not find their vision correction when it was needed. A further 11% choose not to wear them because they “feel embarrassed” and “don’t like how they look in their eyewear.”
Ms Laux stressed: “It is imperative that members of the public who hold a driving licence have a regular eye examination, whether they wear glasses and contact lenses or not, in order to make sure they meet the necessary requirements.”
The study, which surveyed 2000 people, was commissioned by Optical Express to coincide with Road Safety Week (19–25 November).
According to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) regulations, people must wear glasses or contact lenses at all times when driving if they require them to meet the standards of vision for driving.
Despite this, 13% of people who completed the survey said they did not feel there was “any real harm” in driving without their prescribed glasses or lenses.
Clinical governance manager at Optical Express, Amy Laux, said: “Good eyesight is an essential requirement for safe driving, as drivers with poor vision increase their risk of collisions due to not seeing hazards and their reduced ability to react in time to dangers on the road.”
When asked why they drive without their required eyewear, 46% admitted they forgot, while 28% said they could not find their vision correction when it was needed. A further 11% choose not to wear them because they “feel embarrassed” and “don’t like how they look in their eyewear.”
Ms Laux stressed: “It is imperative that members of the public who hold a driving licence have a regular eye examination, whether they wear glasses and contact lenses or not, in order to make sure they meet the necessary requirements.”
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to join the discussion. Log in