Under current UK law, drivers must self-certify their eyesight from the age of 70 and every three years thereafter, confirming they can read a number plate at 20 metres and have not been told by a medical professional that their vision falls below the legal limit.

North West BT Unions H&S Co-ord Secretary, John Southgate highlights a serious flaw in UK driving licensing laws, and the Channel 5 documentary 'Cause of Death':

Last month, an inquest into the deaths of four pedestrians struck by drivers with severely impaired vision has concluded that the UK's system for enforcing eyesight standards for motorists is “ineffective and unsafe.”

HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire, Dr James Adeley, has issued a formal report to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, urging urgent action to prevent further tragedies. He criticised the UK’s driver licensing system as the “laxest in Europe,” noting it is one of only three countries that rely solely on drivers to self-report vision problems.

Channel 5 aired a documentary on the situation regarding drivers with bad eyesight causing deaths on our roads on 27th May, which can be watched on line or via TV. Click the image below to link to the documentary.

Commenting upon the issue of eyesight problems not being notified by elderly drivers to the DVLA, John said:

"The self-reporting system is not at all safe after these four deaths, these drivers with defective eyesight who were all told to stop driving a number of years ago by their optician prior to the incidents did NOT report this to the DVLA.

This must  also be happening not just in Lancashire but throughout the UK. The self-reporting system, to the DVLA, is clearly not working. The senior coroner for Lancashire is writing to secretary of state for transport (Heidi Alexander MP) with a prevent future deaths  report. It will be interesting to see how this progress & I will try to track this as time moves on.

An individual does not have to be elderly to have sight issues, do you know someone with poor eyesight and doubt that they should be driving at all?"

John also highlighted the fact that the Coroner pointed out the UK is one of only three countries to rely upon self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive; and the only European country to issue licences without any visual checks for a continuous period up to the age of 70.

This is also of concern to the CWU USRs and members employed by BT, Openreach, Royal Mail, and other companies where driving employer's fleet vehicles and their own vehicles to and from work is part of their jobs.

Drivers with poor eyesight pose a risk to their safety, not only whilst driving work vehicles but also to those such as engineers working in the roads and streets of the UK, as are delivery personnel such as postal delivery workers on foot.

Dr Adeley also raised concern that the UK is the only European country that allows drivers to hold licences without any mandatory vision checks up to the age of 70. His remarks came during inquests held in Preston for Marie Cunningham, 79; Grace Foulds, 85; Peter Westwell, 80; and Anne Ferguson, 75.

Mrs Cunningham and Mrs Foulds were hit by 68-year-old Glyn Jones while crossing a road in Southport, Merseyside, on November 30, 2021. Jones had known for years that his eyesight did not meet the legal standard to drive, yet he failed to report this to the DVLA. At his sentencing—seven years and four months in prison—it was revealed that he could not even see his steering wheel clearly.

Mr Westwell was killed on March 17, 2022, in Langho, near Blackburn, after being struck by Neil Pemberton, 81. Despite a long history of eye disease and repeated warnings from clinicians not to drive, Pemberton continued to do so and failed to disclose his vision issues on multiple licence applications. He was sentenced to 32 months in prison.

Mrs Ferguson died on July 11, 2023, in Whitworth, Rochdale, after being struck by a van driven by Vernon Law, 72. Just one month earlier, Law had been diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. Despite knowing of his condition for years, he lied to an optometrist about driving and failed to report his deteriorating vision to the DVLA. He was jailed for four years. The inquest heard his vision problems were easily correctable.

“All four fatalities had one common factor: the drivers’ eyesight was significantly below the legal standard for driving,” said Dr Adeley. “The current system for ensuring drivers meet visual requirements is not only ineffective and unsafe but unfit for purpose, as demonstrated by these deaths—cases where the DVLA continued to issue licences to individuals clearly unfit to drive.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said the coroner’s report would be reviewed upon receipt. They added: “The NHS advises adults to get their eyes tested every two years, and drivers are legally required to notify the DVLA if they develop a condition that affects their vision. We remain committed to improving road safety and continue to explore ways to do so.”

Dr Adeley offered his condolences to the families and criticised the drivers involved: “These deaths were caused by individuals who knowingly chose to prioritise their own independence and enjoyment of driving over the safety of others, despite being fully aware their defective vision posed a serious risk.”

In reality, the UK is one of only three countries to rely upon self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive; and the only European country to issue licences without any visual checks for a continuous period up to the age of 70.

Consequently, the families of the victims are calling for changes to include compulsory eyesight tests, certification requirements for driving licenses, and immediate notification to the Department of Transport/DVLA by GPs and optometrists.

Source: John Southgate / Lancashire Evening Post