Overview

• Draft proposals would require vision screening every three years for licence-holders aged 70 and above, with optometrists reporting results directly to the DVLA.
• Drivers who do not meet the minimum eyesight standard could face licence suspension or revocation under measures being prepared for consultation.
• The package under development also weighs lower alcohol limits in line with Scotland, tougher penalties for seatbelt and uninsured driving offences, and wider enforcement changes.
• Officials cite stalled safety progress with 1,633 road deaths and nearly 28,000 serious injuries in the last year, costing the NHS more than £2 billion.
• The plan has prompted debate over age-based rules and rural mobility, as clinicians urge decisions based on medical impairment with DVLA oversight rather than age alone.