Overview
- Durham Police revoked the licences of a 70‑year‑old woman and an 82‑year‑old man after both failed roadside eyesight tests during Operation Dark Night.
- Forces including Humberside and Lincolnshire have launched two‑week road‑safety operations with vision screening as darker evenings increase risks for vulnerable road users.
- The legal standard requires drivers to read a number plate from 20 metres in good daylight, and officers can conduct roadside eyesight tests under the Highway Code.
- Drivers who need glasses or contact lenses must wear them and inform the DVLA, with penalties reported to include fines up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification, as well as potential insurance issues.
- Compliance concerns persist, with a survey reporting 35% of drivers needing correction had not declared it to the DVLA and police estimates suggesting 5–10% may not meet eyesight standards.