Drivers born before this date could face re-taking test 'every year'
A former police officer is calling for motorists over 70 to pass an eye test every year if they want to keep driving in the UK. As it stands, there's no requirement for an eyesight test when renewing your driving licence as you age.
The sole requisite at present is to advise the DVLA of any health issues that crop up, with no compulsory medical examinations enforced. This approach might allow drivers with deficient vision to continue driving unsafely.
But retired police officer, Rob Heard, a member of the Older Drivers Forum, spoke to the BBC about the necessity for regular eyesight checks, especially among the older generation, as vision can decrease sharply without a person realising. He referred to data from police revocations which show that those aged over 70 are often the ones who can't make out a number plate from 20 metres away.
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Any change could affect drivers born before 1953 or 1954. A pivotal study released in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2020 disclosed how ageing-related visual alterations affect driving skills. The findings demonstrated that elderly drivers had poorer outcomes than younger ones.
Older drivers saw a decrease in contrast sensitivity by 9.5 percent and an increase in VDI (Vascular Diameter Index) of over 100 percent. Moreover, "significantly higher" levels of straylight were noted in older participants, with a rise of 33 percent over the figures for younger drivers, as reported by the Express.
Older drivers are likely to struggle with increased "glare sensitivity" due to more scattered light within the eye. Rob, a member of a national task force guiding the Government and the Department for Transport, highlighted: "That is one of our key recommendations, compulsory eyesight tests at the age of 70 and thereafter at every licence renewal."
He further suggested: "Personally I think we should have an eyesight test at licence application when we first start driving because 90 percent of driving is visual."