As a minimum requirement, motorists must be able to read a number plate from a distance of 20.5 metres (67 feet) (with the aid of glasses or contact lenses if worn) and have a 120 degree wide field of view. This test is normally only carried out at the time of the driving test itself. However recent research has shown that more than 10 per cent of drivers would fail a driving test because of poor eyesight if they re-took it today. Many of these are existing glasses wearers with an out of date prescription.
Remember: You are breaking the law and your insurance will be invalid if you can’t meet this standard.
In law it is a driver’s responsibility to ensure that they can pass the number plate test at all times; i.e. to read in good light (with the aid of spectacles or contact lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 57 millimetres wide (i.e. pre 1.9.2001 font) at a distance of 20.5 metres, or at a distance of 20 metres where the characters are 50 millimetres wide (i.e. post 1.9.2001 font). If unable to meet this standard, the driver must not drive and the licence must be refused or revoked. The easy way for most people to fix this is to wear glasses or contact lenses to a current prescription.
Drivers must also be able to see clearly out of the corners of their eyes, see clearly at night and not have double vision. It’s important to remember that if you fail to meet these visual standards you are breaking the law every time you start your engine. This is why it is so important to have your eye tested every two years (or more frequently if specified by your optometrist).
Any driver who thinks their eyesight does not meet the legal requirements must tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) immediately.
In law, it is a criminal offence to fail to notify the DVLA of any eyesight conditions likely to cause a driver to be a source of danger to other road users. This applies to those suffering from :
or any other relevant medical conditions, which constitute a notifiable disability. The detailed description of notifiable visual disorders are provided on the DVLA web site here
If a driver is involved in an accident and is then found to have an undeclared notifiable disability, insurance cover could be at risk. That said, having a notifiable eyesight condition does not necessarily mean that you will be banned from driving.
If you think you have a notifiable eyesight condition you must write to the Drivers Medical Branch, DVLA, Swansea SA99 1TU and provide them with as much information about your condition as you can. After you have told DVLA about your medical condition you will normally need to complete a medical questionnaire. This enables you to provide specific details about your medical condition. The questionnaire also enables you to provide your consent for a DVLA Medical Adviser to request medical information from your doctor/s and/or optometrist if this is needed. Further details are available in a bookelt which you can download by following this link
A decision may be based on the information you provide on the questionnaire. However, if further information is required, then the DVLA Medical Adviser may:
The time the DVLA takes to deal with any particular case will depend on the medical condition and the further information required.
The medical assessors at the DVLA will then do one of the following:
Millions of British drivers admit that they find it hard to see clearly when driving after dark and it’s a fact that more road accidents occur at night than during the day. Common night driving problems include blurred vision, difficulty focusing and dazzle.
For many people, haloes and reflections around lights and headlamps can make their eyes feel uncomfortable while driving. The most common cause is a dirty windscreen, both inside and outside, although scratched or dirty spectacles can be just as bad. Also, reflections from the surface of spectacle lenses can sometimes cause multiple images of lights at night. If you notice these, effective anti-reflection lens coatings are available.
Older people often find night driving particularly stressful. With increasing age, the lens of the eye tends to yellow, reducing vision clarity. However major discomfort from glare can also be caused by cataracts.
Incredibly 1 in 5 drivers can not see properly at night and 1 in 9 drivers have never had an eye test. So what can you do to make sure that you can see as well as possible when driving at night?
Some spectacles are better than others for driving. Those with rimless designs or with thin rims are particularly suitable as they allow greater all-round vision than those with heavy frames. Spectacles with plastic lenses are also lighter and safer as they are less likely to shatter in an accident. Anti-reflection coatings can be applied to any lenses at a reasonable cost, helping you to see more clearly and cut down on glare, especially when driving at night.
Make sure you keep your spectacles and contact lenses clean at all times – it’s best to keep a cleaning cloth in the car. It’s also sensible to keep a spare pair of glasses in the car so that you never forget them. This is also important if you normally wear contact lenses, as on long journeys your eyes can get tired and it is often more comfortable to switch to a pair of glasses. It’s also a useful safeguard if you suffer from hay fever.
If you drive abroad, it is worth remembering that in some European countries it is a legal requirement to keep a spare pair of glasses or contact lenses in the car.
If you wear bifocals or varifocals, you should ask at your Opticians for the most suitable lens design for driving.
If you need to wear prescription glasses to drive, never replace them with non-prescription sunglasses when it is sunny. It is dangerous and you will be breaking the law. Instead, get a pair of prescription sunglasses (which need look no different to normal sunglasses) or clip-on lenses over your prescription lenses. When using clip-on sunglasses make sure you check their suitability for plastic lenses. In all cases, only where sunglasses when it’s really bright. Sunglasses darken images and can make it difficult to see slower moving obstacles such as pedestrians.
