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Some fairly significant changes have recently been made to the UK driving test. For example, there is now a section of the test where the driver has to demonstrate being able to follow the directions from a sat-nav safely, while manoeuvres such as reversing round a corner have been removed from the exam.
But what about eyesight? I'm sure most of us have done the part of the test where you read a numberplate from 20m away, but is this a rigorous enough way of deciding whether or not the driver is safe to drive? Is the tester qualified enough to make that judgement and what effect could this have on fleets?
Speaking to BusinessCar, Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, told us that he didn't think so: "The UK needs much more strenuous tests for driving vision, to ensure the safety of all road users. While the Government is letting the UK fall seriously behind in this matter, fleet managers are in a position to promote change. Implementing an eye care policy for all drivers should be as obvious as ensuring vehicle and insurance checks."
According to a recent study carried out by the European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO), relying on this method puts the UK in the lower echelons of Europe's eyesight rankings. Meanwhile, the UK is also one of only four other countries that doesn't require a medical professional (an optician, optometrist, ophthalmologist or a doctor) to assess prospective drivers' eyesight. An EC directive states that a 'competent medical authority' should assess a driver's vision.
Lythgow doesn't think this is stringent enough, telling us: "We believe the number-plate test to be an inadequate assessment of driving vision. A full eye examination is far more appropriate. This tests not just visual acuity - sight over distance - but also peripheral vision, which is vital for driving. It also assesses other important aspects of visual capabilities, like being able to switch focus from near to far objects, necessary for looking between dashboard controls and the road ahead; and contrast sensitivity, related to the demands of driving in different light conditions."
However, leading road safety organisation IAM Roadsmart doesn't necessarily agree. Neil Greig, its policy and research director, told us: "In our view the 'read a number-plate test' remains an adequate indicator of a person's general quality of eyesight. Although 'failed to look' is the top cause of crashes in the UK for all age groups."
The report also states that other countries - including Spain - require a full medical check-up (which includes assessing vision) before a driving licence can be issued, while the UK authorities only require drivers to self-report their visual status. Furthermore, the UK is one of eight countries in Europe that doesn't require any sort of visual assessment throughout the life of the licence. Meanwhile, seven countries require a driver's eyesight to be tested every 10 years and most other countries require
at least one assessment of the driver's eyesight throughout the life of the licence.
Lythgow commented on this, telling us: "We would like to see regular eye care implemented to all employees who drive. This would lead to better vision for road users, and logic would suggest this would result in fewer collisions. It could also protect employers from uninsured losses. The benefits for fleet drivers themselves could be immeasurable, in terms of reduced risk of collision, plus there are the health benefits of regular eye examinations, such as the early detection of disease."
According to the report, there is also a shortage of evidence that directly links poor eyesight with low driver safety. Logic would suggest that this was the case too. However, Greig told us: "In 2015, the police recorded 'uncorrected or defective eyesight' as a factor (it may not have been the only one) in 10 fatal crashes, which makes up less than 1% of the total. A more complex eyesight requirement could therefore be a costly and time-consuming hassle for most drivers with very little road safety benefit."
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