Overview

• A Churchill-commissioned poll of 2,000 UK adults found that 24% of drivers had not undertaken a professional eye test in the past two years and 12% were unsure if their vision met legal standards.
• Department for Transport figures show that defective eyesight contributed to 240 injuries and seven deaths on Britain’s roads in 2023, the worst toll since 2017.
• The survey revealed that 83% of UK adults favour compulsory vision checks every decade for all drivers and 88% support three-yearly tests for motorists over 70.
• Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told MPs she is open to mandating vision screening for older licence holders in the government’s forthcoming road safety strategy.
• Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley condemned the current self-reporting system as ineffective and unfit after identifying four deaths caused by drivers who ignored opticians’ warnings.