Overview

• The Department for Transport is considering mandatory eyesight tests as part of licence renewals, but no formal commitment has been made yet.
• Optometry groups and a Lancashire coroner advocate for reforms, citing the UK's current self-certification system as one of the weakest in Europe.
• A coroner's report linked poor driver vision to multiple fatalities, emphasizing the need for objective vision assessments.
• Proposals include a 'Driver MOT' health check every three years, focusing on vision, reaction times, and cognitive awareness, particularly for older drivers.
• Estimates suggest 2% of drivers, or approximately 750,000 individuals, would fail mandatory vision tests, highlighting significant safety risks on UK roads.