1.7% of drivers fail roadside eyesight tests, GEM Motoring Assist calls for regular checks

Drivers should undergo regular eye tests as darker autumn driving conditions increase the importance of good vision, according to GEM Motoring Assist.

The road safety organisation issued the warning after a UK roadside screening survey found 1.7% of the 3,010 drivers and riders tested were unable to read a number plate at the legally required distance of 20 metres.

The failure rate increased to 10.2% among motorists aged between 81 and 90.

GEM said reduced daylight, low sun, headlight glare, rain-smeared windscreens and reflections from wet roads can make hazards more difficult to identify and may expose eyesight problems that drivers have gradually learned to live with.

The organisation is encouraging drivers of all ages to make regular eye examinations part of their personal road-safety routine rather than waiting until a problem becomes obvious.

James Luckhurst, head of road safety at GEM Motoring Assist, said: “Drivers need clear, reliable vision to spot a pedestrian in poor light, judge the speed of an approaching vehicle or read a direction sign in time to make a safe decision.

“As the number of older licence holders grows, the number of drivers who may need vision correction, monitoring or treatment is also likely to grow.

“This makes regular eye examinations increasingly important. After all, eyesight changes often happen gradually, and it can be easy to assume that the difficulties of night driving, glare or reading signs are simply part of getting older.