We recently published a story about police in West Yorkshire testing the eyesight of drivers. We had a big response to the article, so here’s a follow-up from Compare The Market, who have gone into a lot more detail about this important subject:
Safety First
Safety should always be the number-one priority when driving – and that includes making sure your eyesight meets the legal requirements. Think about it; sight is relied on much more so than any of the five senses while driving. In fact, research shows that more than 90% of the information we take in when we’re driving comes from vision.
Lacking proper knowledge of how poor eyesight affects our vision while sitting in the driver’s seat with bad eyesight can put ourselves and others at risk. You may fail to see traffic, read signs, and spot hazards on the roads ahead. As a matter of fact, reports show that on average, poor eyesight causes over 2,900 road casualties every year in the UK. And it’s also estimated that there are over 1.8 million active drivers on UK roads who do not meet the current minimum eyesight standards.
With driving and poor eyesight being such a risky combination, we’ve put together a guide for anyone who wears glasses or contacts. Ultimately, you have a responsibility to take good care of your eyesight and make sure you’re driving legally, and this includes attending regular eye tests and informing the DVLA of any problems.
