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Check it! You can’t afford to turn blind eye to drivers’ poor vision

Eye test medical report
Eyesight examination - company drivers must be fit to drive

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2 February 2016

360EMPLOYERS who insist new members of staff have a medical before joining them are hardly likely to accept a retrospective one.

Yet that’ s exactly what businesses do when it comes to the standard of vision of the company car drivers they employ.

But you can’t afford to turn a blind eye to drivers’ poor vision, for their sake and that of other road users and your own legal obligations.

A young motorist taking his or her driving test at the age of 17 will be asked to read a number plate on a vehicle 20 metres away. After that they will be able to carry on driving for 50 years or more without any eyesight check whatsoever, whether they drive simply for pleasure or for a living.

It is estimated up to five million UK drivers would fail a number plate test if they had to take it again. 5,916 drivers had their licence revoked for failing to meet minimum eyesight standards in 2011

Now, however, road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is calling on the Government to introduce compulsory eyesight testing for all drivers at regular intervals. The organisation says better regulation of eyesight tests for drivers would cut collisions and make Britain’ s roads safer.

Chief executive David Williams said: “We are worried that a large number of drivers have not had their eyes tested for many years – and some have never had a test.

“Many of us assume our vision is fine and does not require a check-up; however we have no way of knowing this for sure. That’ s why it’s so important for road safety that the Government take steps to ensure regular, compulsory testing for all drivers.

“Along with many road safety organisations, we believe everyone should undergo a compulsory, professional eyesight test when applying for a provisional licence, with a further test every 10 years after that.”

The current ‘number plate’ eyesight test was introduced to the driving test in 1937 and has only been amended in minor ways over the years to reflect changing number plate sizes.

According to GEM, the test is crude and outdated, as it only measures visual sharpness.

The time has come to accept that the current driver eyesight test simply isn’t fit for purpose. What’s more, it is certainly no longer acceptable for drivers to self-certify

The organisation maintains that we should copy what a number of US states do and examine a driver’s field of view to check whether motorists can see and react to what’s happening around them.

David Williams concludes: “The time has come to accept that the current driver eyesight test simply isn’t fit for purpose. What’s more, it is certainly no longer acceptable for drivers to self-certify.

Road safety organisation Brake’s advice

  • If you drive, regular visits to the opticians are essential to ensure your eyesight meets legal standards, and you’re not putting yourself and others at great risk. It also helps to catch early signs of eye disease so they can be treated before they become a major problem.
  • You should get your eyes checked by an optician at least every two years, or straight away if you notice any problems.
  • Do not be tempted to put off visiting the opticians – most vision problems are easily corrected, and the sooner you know the problem, the sooner it can be fixed.
  • Regular eye tests can also help identify other health conditions, such as high blood pressure.
  • Going to the optician needn’t be expensive and may be free – eye sight tests are free in the UK if you are under 16, over 60, claiming certain benefits, or if you have certain medical conditions. See the NHS website to find out if you qualify. Eye tests are free for all UK residents in Scotland.
  • If you are not entitled to free tests, many high street opticians run promotions offering free or cheap tests.
  • If you regularly use computer screens for significant periods at work, you are entitled to ask your employer to pay for your eye tests, under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.
  • If you drive for work, your employer may also have made arrangements for free or discounted eye tests.

“As more and more people are staying behind the wheel into their eighties and beyond, the need for mandatory eyesight testing has never been more pressing.”

Manchester-based fleet risk management experts 3Sixty Fleet takes a similar view.

Andrew Drewary, the company’ s consultant accident analyst, says: “The current government guidelines regarding the minimum eyesight standards are just that: They are guidelines!

“Employers should take responsibility for all of their company car drivers and
ensure that they at least meet the minimum standard at all times.

“They should not wait for the government to change the guidelines or make eyesight tests mandatory every 10 years, they should take control of the situation themselves and make regular eyesight tests compulsory for all company car drivers. This should be written into their company car driver handbook.

“There are a number of benefits in doing this not only for the company but most notably for other road users and employees. Making regular eyesight tests compulsory assists the employer work towards a robust work related road risk management policy.

“However, there are driver well-being issues that can be addressed through these tests, most notably the detection of diabetes. The effects of this medical condition can be even more serious.”

Mr Drewary said this area of concern was one of the biggest issues for him personally in a former role – when he was a company car fleet operator – and he implemented strict controls to deal with it.

“Every three months all drivers were tested on reading a number plate from 20m and had to undertake a full eyesight test every two years. Although this may seem a little excessive, the additional cost is minimal in comparison to the potential consequences.”

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