Drivers could face 'mandatory' new check when renewing driving licence
Drivers could face "mandatory vision checks" when renewing their driving licence under new proposals. Headlight glare makes it harder for drivers to see on the road and a study into headlight glare is expected to be completed in 2025.
Experts have called for mandatory vision checks as part of licence application and renewal processes. The project, led by independent research consultancy TRL in partnership with the Department for Transport, aims to understand the factors causing glare and develop solutions to address them.
In an RAC survey of 2,000 drivers, 89% believed that at least some car headlights on the road today were too bright, with 28% - the highest proportion to date - claiming that most were "excessively bright". Among those drivers who express concerns about headlight brightness, 91% reported experiencing glare, with 74% stating that this happened regularly.
Regarding the impact of glare, two-thirds (67%) of those affected said they needed to slow down significantly until their vision cleared, while a similar number (64%) believed that some headlights were so bright they posed a risk of accidents.
The study will employ instrumented cars to measure light levels experienced by motorists during real-world driving conditions. Adam Sampson, chief executive at The Association of Optometrists explained that the group have "long argued" that the way drivers' vision is assessed needs to change.
He said: "With growing waiting lists for cataract operations and hospital eye appointments there is an added risk that we will see a growing number of these cases. That is why we continue to call for a change to the law so regular vision checks are a mandatory part of licence application and renewal."
Rod Dennis, RAC road safety spokesperson, who welcomed the project, added that he hopes it will get to the bottom of the glare issue "experienced by so many drivers up and down the country". Mr Dennis added: "Our own long-term research shows that a significant proportion of the driving population struggles with dazzle, with some people reducing how much they drive, or even giving up driving at night altogether."
The issue has become so severe that some motorists have altered their driving habits or ceased night-time driving entirely.