Car Insurance
Poor eyesight puts motorists at risk
Mon, 03 Oct 2005
One in five drivers have not had their eyesight checked for more than two years, a new survey reveals.
Almost 600 drivers took part in the survey by motorinsurance.co.uk, showing that 15 per cent had not visited an optician in the last five years.
Six per cent admitted that they had never had their eyesight professionally tested.
By law, drivers must be able to read a car number plate from a distance of 20.5 meters. Motorists who require glasses or contact lenses to pass this test must wear them each time they drive.
Despite passing the sight check on the day of their driving test, one in five drivers said they believed their eyesight to have worsened since that time, and over one third expressed anxiety that bad eyesight was effecting their driving.
Marketing director of motorinsurance.co.uk, Andrew Dunkley, stressed that poor eyesight could lead to an increased risk of an accident, causing danger to others and pushing up insurance premiums.
"It's vital that motorists have their eyes tested on a regular basis," Mr Dunkley told ITV.
"Being able to read a number plate from 20.5 metres on the day of your driving test is no guarantee that you'll be able to do the same five, or ten, years later. Drivers who are unable to see the required distance should be aware that they are breaking the law."
A bi-annual eye test is advocated by the Royal National Institute of the Blind.
© Adfero Ltd
