Drivers over 70 could face compulsory eyesight tests
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49194225
One proposal would involve drivers over 70 undergoing an eye test every three years to keep their licence.
The DfT wants to "find out more" about whether this could reduce road deaths before deciding whether to introduce the policy.
Last year, 4,603 drivers over 70 had their licences revoked because of their eyesight, the DfT said.
In the past five years, 37 people have been killed and almost 1,100 people injured in crashes where uncorrected or defective eyesight was a contributing factor.
How about a proper eyesight test before first starting to drive ?
Plus a repeat, say every five years.
Any dodgy certificates and the supplier gets a five year ban from practicing.
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Like "health checks" would largely be a waste of effort between say 18 and 40 as eyesight doesn't change much.
Over 40 most people start to struggle with near reading, and night vusion starts to weaken.
I'm not yet 50 but I have certainly noticed my nightvision isn't as good as it was 20 years ago.
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>> I'm not yet 50 but I have certainly noticed my nightvision isn't as good as
>> it was 20 years ago.
I'm 59 and have noticed for some time my night vision is getting worse. One particular place on journey home (sharp bend in rural village but street lit) from work I navigated with confidence when we moved to present home in 1990 and for 15+ years after now requires attention and, if I can get away with it, main beam.
Near reading problem too but mitigated with varifocals and habit of removing glasses completely while at work and using VDU and/or reading documents. Only issue then is odd occasion I see people face to face (my job description says my role is telephone/digital) and they show me documents on their phones.
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>> Like "health checks" would largely be a waste of effort between say 18 and 40 as eyesight doesn't change much.
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It might reduce the cries of age discrimination
>> Over 40 most people start to struggle with near reading, and night vision starts to weaken.
>>
At about 45 I found It difficult to deal with paperwork etc working on night flights.
I went to my optician who said "That is perfectly normal for white Caucasians and not needing specs at that age might be cause for concern"
Giving up driving at night seems to be very common change by friends in their 70s
The huge numbers of modern SUVs with their higher mounted lights HID, LEDs certainly adds to the glare/dazzle not only through the windscreen but as often reported through the rear screen.
I do not recall complaints about early Range Rovers or similar.
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I had exceptionally good eyesight until I was about 45.
But it then started deteriorating to the point where I now absolutely could not read without glasses though at anything more than a couple of metres my sight is just fine. Can still read a number plate at a gazillion yards.
However, about a year ago i had to drive 700 miles on seriously s*** roads through the night, in the rain, with just enough other cars about to make full beam mostly impractical. It was an utter nightmare and I really noticed my loss of night vision.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Thu 1 Aug 19 at 19:52
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I remember my dad at 65 pretty much knocked on the head driving at night. He found the dazzle from street lights and other cars to be too much and felt unsafe.
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Night dazzle can be a sign of cataracts developing.
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I used to love night driving, now I really dislike it. A combination of deteriorating eyesight and the ultra bright LEDs many cars have now make it a real chore, particularly in the rain.
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>> Night dazzle can be a sign of cataracts developing.
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I used to be very uncomfortable with driving at night. I had my cataracts done about five years and now driving at night is as easy as driving during the day.
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I was'nt uncomfortable, but the halo effect around lights was noticeable. Since the cataract ops, this has disappeared.
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I don’t know about 70+ and an eyesight test, but what about an any age brain test ?
Pootling down the A65 from Kirkby Lonsdale late afternoon today, I was last in a queue making progress near the NSL. I always leave plenty of space between myself and the car in front, and then some numpty pulls out from a side road in front of me. Why couldn’t he/she/it wait as I was clearly the last vehicle in the queue and they had a long sight line.
Not a problem if they accelerate away in front, but this prat struggled to get up to 30 mph, causing me to brake from 60 to 25, and even after 2 miles was only doing 38mph before I could safely overtake.
No point flashing my lights, sounding my horn or giving the finger. I’m glad I’m not such a carp driver.
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>> I don’t know about 70+ and an eyesight test, but what about an any age
>> brain test ?
>> Pootling down the A65 from Kirkby Lonsdale late afternoon today, I was last in a
>> queue making progress near the NSL.
Ah now had you had a decently fast car, you would have been in front, and it wouldn't have happened to you.
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" .. Ah now had you had a decently fast car, you would have been in front, and it wouldn't have happened to you. "
Maybe the fastest car in a queue is the one at the back, - that's how he caught you up innit ? !!
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>> No point flashing my lights, sounding my horn or giving the finger.
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I NEVER do either. A mate was complaining that a Maserati cut in front of him after overtaking a line of cars on Friday and when he flashed his lights at him he was brake tested to the point he nearly locked up.
Driving can be hazardous enough without antagonising some testosterone fuelled psycho into the bargain.
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I couldn’t agree more. Let these nutters become someone else’s problem.
Sunday evening on the A65 with folks leaving the Lake District heading back to W Yorks means heavy traffic throughout the year. Pootling along is good. Sometimes I can even achieve 30 mpg!
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>> achieve 30 mpg!
I think, at 31k miles, mine might be run in. The long term average has crept up to 28.7, and I often see 36 mpg on a motorway run. (Mind I still get it down to 9mpg sometimes.....)
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A few more mpg Tuesday when I collect the next rental at Alicante....supposedly a ‘Firefly ‘ Fiesta but probably not a Ford. Hope it’s got lots of dings and dents so it doesn’t stand out too much, being abandoned on dirt tracks in various parts of the Marina Alta whilst I’m off walking for the day
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It wasn’t a Fiesta ( or similar). 12 months ago it was the exact scenario...no Fiesta but free upgrade to a new Zafira. Silly me accepted it then. This time I declined the Zafira. The smallest rental car available was a C Max. Oh well. 6 forward gears and lots of dents...5 more than on the paperwork.
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Drivers 70+ could face compulsory eyesight test - Lygonos
