All drivers should have eye sight tests to retain their licence

[LoisPrice]

and they should be every 5 years reducing to yearly when over 70 years old https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-66053510

I genuinely don’t think this should be reserved for old/young/male/female/glasses wearers (delete as applicable). Those of us who drive have a responsibility to be as safe as possible.

I’ve been driving almost 30 years (since I was 17). No one has ever checked my ability/safety since 1994.

I really do think there’s a societal, and moral, obligation to have a basic test of competency. Given we have to renew our photo licenses every 10 years now, that seems like the perfect opportunity. For everyone.

(oh, and I get the expense thing, but having/running a car is expensive - like the £300 exhaust which had to be replaced on mine a few weeks ago.) But, lots of things have a cost; passports, mobiles, holidays, haircuts, etc. We make our choices. This is such a key safety thing…..

£25 is food for a person for a week. Many people are running cars they can barely afford as there are few other transport options in their area. It's not a nice extra like Netflix or a takeaway coffee.

Is there an issue with undiagnosed medical problems causing crashes? It’s not a case of where does it end but how do we simply preserve life and traumatic injuries

Driving isn’t a right it’s something you get permission to do when paying accordingly and jumping though hoops.

If you can’t afford to drive you don’t drive likes thousands of people who cannot afford to either learn or run a car.

It'll hit those in rural areas with no public transport harder - especially those in min wage jobs like carers and shop assistants.

If you were to crash and be found to have failed eye sight - then what? How will you drive if you lose your licence?

Most people get invited for an eye test every year, if they have had a previous test. I guess there are some people who have bad eyesight and haven't ever been tested. Perhaps a compulsory teat for drivers (when they get their license and afterwards if necessary) would be good, but I guess most are tested routinely anyway.

I’m sorry, but it is a choice to run a car. £25 is a week’s food or electric contribution, etc. But no-one HAS to have a car. As a PP said, we MOT vehicles, but not the operators.

Don’t get me wrong, I get it. There’s been times in my life where I’ve had to get rid of a car/SORN it, because I couldn’t afford it. We don’t let people undertake a number of things without safety tests. Why should driving be different.

In the case of jobs where driving is required I’d say the companies should foot the bill for regular safety testing of their employees.

People don't give a shit about the poor though. They could make the test free for those on under £25/30k, or receiving UC or something.

I get what you're saying but if that's the case how would you mitigate for people living in rural areas with no public transport?

@OhmygodDont care companies don't pay travel time as it is. How do you propose to make them pay additional costs?

You make it a legal obligation just like having the tests in the first place or tax deductible.

Why not fight for more rather than argue for shitness.

The system is a bit different, but when I lived in Australia, you get your licence renewed every 5-10yrs at the equivalent of a DVLA office (which renewed multiple other things and were all throughout the country). They did a basic sight test there and then at the counter, took your photo and renewed your licence if you passed.

You also had to re-sit a practical driving test at I think aged 80, along with having medical clearance from your GP. I would support doing the same in the UK.

I'm not arguing for shitness. I'm just pointing out that care companies already dodge as much as they can and I've no doubt they would do the same with this.

I remember one guy I saw on the road, there had been an accident and he walked back to my car to ask what had happened, he could hardly walk and was as deaf as a post, I managed to explain what had happened, when he drove off he was off like a rocket, terrifying.

If eyes (and teeth) weren't considered an optional nice to have by the NHS we wouldn't have this problem as the tests would be free.

THIS!!!

It’s men who are the problem at both ends. Even amongst Older drivers women tend to be safer because they are more likely to see the GP and self-report conditions to the dvla.

Again, I'm not arguing for shitness. I'm just pointing it out. I'm autistic and I've clearly got it wrong again

Should we stop requiring cars to be MOTd because it’s an extra cost on top of everything else? No, because it keeps people safe. If people can’t afford to safely run a car they have to stop. It’s not a human right.

Does it really require a full eye test or just a 'read this chart'?

If your cars turns on and moves and stops should that pass the mot or should it be throughly checked.

The standard for driving is being able to read a number plate at a certain distance, or has that changed? You don’t really need an eye test for that unless you find your vision isn’t good enough. I think really there needs to be a lot more enforcement out on the roads, to catch everyone erratically or recklessly. There are so many that surely it would pay for itself..

HGV drivers have to renew and pass a medical to keep their license, eyesight test is part of that. I think it would be a good idea for something similar to be introduced for all drivers after a certain age. I remember as a student out in the community visiting a lady with dementia who still had a driving license, I couldn’t believe it! A car can be lethal, and regulations should reflect that.