Roadside eye test for drivers could see licence revoked immediately

Drivers with poor eyesight this month face having their licences revoked on the spot if they are unable to read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres.

The crackdown by police forces in Thames Valley, Hampshire and the West Midlands and results will be used to estimate the proportion of drivers with poor vision.

At present, learner drivers must read a number plate from 20 metres. However, once they have obtained their driving licence, it is up to them to inform the DVLA if they develop a problem with their eyesight.

Research carried out by the Association of Optometrists has revealed that 35 per cent of optometrists see patients in the previous month who continue to drive despite being told their vision was below the legal standard.

Joshua Harris, from the charity Brake, told The Guardian: “It is frankly madness that there is no mandatory requirement on drivers to have an eye test throughout the course of their driving life.”

Only since 2013 have police officers had the power to request an urgent revocation of a licence if they believe a driver poses a danger to others.

The so-called Cassie’s Law was introduced after an 87-year-old man lost control of his car and killed 16-year-old Cassie McCord. A few days prior to the crash the driver had failed a police eyesight test days earlier, but a legal loophole meant he was entitled to continue driving.

Ethical insurance

The ETA has been named to provide the most ethical insurance in Britain.

Beating household-name insurance companies such as John Lewis and the Co-op, we earned an ethical company index score of 89 – earning us joint-first place with Naturesave.

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Twenty seven years on, we continue to offer home insurance, cycle insurance, travel insurance and breakdown cover while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.