Road Safety charity Brake is calling on the government to change the law on driver vision. In 2011 alone, nearly 6,000 drivers had their licences revoked by the DVLA for failing to meet the minimum eyesight standards, and Brake maintain that poor vision is under-reported in crash data as it is difficult to determine if poor eyesight was to blame.

Experts recommend an eye test every two years, but Brake's own survey has found that 25% of UK drivers fall foul of this advice. In fact, independent research by the College of Optometrists has shown that 5% of people over 40 had not had an eye test for at least 10 years.

In the UK, drivers are simply asked once if they can read a number plate from 20 metres. They are then legally obliged to inform the DVLA if their vision falls below a range of criteria. On renewing a driving licence at 70, the driver is asked if their eyesight meets legal minimums. but this is not checked.

Brake is calling for a range of changes, including requiring drivers to prove to the DVLA they have had a recent, professional vision test when they take their driving test and obliging drivers to have regular tests during their driving life. In addition, they would like drivers to prove that their vision has recently been "passed to drive" when renewing their licence photocard.

Sources:

1. BRAKE:
   Driver Eyesight.

2. Optometry Today:
   A fifth of drivers have never had an eye test.