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Under proposed reforms to British driving regulations, drivers aged 70 and over will be required to undergo vision checks every three years.
These changes are slated to be a component of the government’s forthcoming road safety strategy, scheduled for release on Wednesday.
Further measures under consideration, initially reported in August, may include aligning England’s drink-driving limit with Scotland’s stricter standard and assigning penalty points for seatbelt violations.
Government data indicates that nearly a quarter of car drivers fatally injured in 2024 were 70 years of age or older.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) stipulates that UK drivers must be capable of reading a number plate from a distance of 20 meters.
Currently, drivers of all ages are not required to demonstrate their skills or health status after initial licensure.
Drivers are obligated to notify the DVLA if they become unfit to drive, but this system relies on self-reporting.
Edmund King, president of the AA motoring organization, stated, “Eye examinations are already accessible without charge to individuals over 60, and healthcare professionals recommend them biennially due to their potential to aid in the diagnosis of other underlying conditions.”
“Indeed, the AA advises all individuals to undergo an eye examination every two years.”
Moira Hutchings, 71, from Farnborough, expressed her support for mandatory eye tests for older drivers, calling it a “definitely a good idea”.
“I have annual eyesight tests as I have always had problems,” she said.
Hutchings wears glasses but was recently told that she could legally drive without a corrective lens for her left eye.
“I wouldn’t dream of doing so,” she said. “How anyone cannot, at my age, be checked out is beyond me.”
Robert Owens, also 71, from Wrexham, suggested the government should mandate routine health evaluations for drivers of all ages, emphasizing that “This issue does not purely affect the over-70s.”
Owens characterized cars as “lethal weapons” and reported undergoing an annual eye examination.
“My first question [for the optician] is am I optically fit to drive, and thankfully I have been to date.
“If they said no I would no longer drive.”
NHS eye examinations are provided free of charge to individuals over 60 throughout the UK. Certain other groups are also eligible for NHS-funded eye tests in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the NHS offers free eye examinations to individuals of all ages.
Dr. Peter Hampson, clinical and policy director at the Association of Optometrists, commented, “Sight often deteriorates gradually, meaning drivers may not realize their vision no longer meets legal standards.
“Even small changes can cause drivers to react slower and increase the risk of serious collisions.
“This simple change to the law would bring the UK into line with much of Europe.”
Lilian Greenwood, local transport minister, said: “As the country’s older population grows, our plans in the first road safety strategy in more than a decade will preserve personal freedoms where possible with action to save lives.”
However, Prof. Andrew Steptoe, director of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, emphasized the need for measures to support older individuals who have relinquished their driving licenses.
“If more older people are unable to drive, efforts need to be made to offset any reductions in social contact and to maintain active engagement with friends, family and the community.”
Age UK expressed support for the change, while suggesting that eye tests alone would not substantially decrease car crashes.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said that most older drivers “take very seriously their responsibility to be safe on the road”.
Last year, an inquest into the deaths of four people killed by drivers with failing vision said enforcement of eyesight standards on the roads was “ineffective and unsafe”.
HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley pointed out that the UK was one of only three countries to rely on self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive.
In the report, which was handed to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, he said: “Self-reporting of visual conditions permits drivers to lie about their current driving status to those performing an ophthalmic assessment and avoid warnings not to drive.
“Drivers may also admit they drive but then ignore instructions not to drive and fail to notify the DVLA.”
Rebecca Guy, senior policy manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “Regular vision checks are a sensible way to reduce risk as we age, but the priority must be a system that supports people to drive safely for as long as possible, while ensuring timely action is taken when health or eyesight could put them or others in danger.”
Additional reporting by James Kelly
It follows a campaign launched by the family of Ryan Saltern, who died in Cornwall.
Crystal Owen says the government’s proposals do not do enough to protect newly-qualified drivers.
Peter Funnell from Biddenden whose son was killed in 2014 says new proposals are “a step forward”.
Young drivers have spoken to the BBC about how the proposed changes could affect them.
The government is proposing lowering alcohol limits for drivers and regular eye tests for older motorists.
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