In January the government announced a new road safety strategy, the first in over a decade, with an ambitious plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035.
What does it actually mean for your patients?
One of the plans is to introduce mandatory eye tests for over 70s
There are around 6.3 million people aged 70 or over that hold have driving licenses in the UK, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Unfortunately eyesight tends to get worse as people get older. A big factor in many accidents and collisions is poor or failing eyesight.
The idea is that drivers aged 70 or over could be asked to get an eye test every three years to enable them to keep their licence. People in this age group need to renew their licence every three years and currently a system of self-declaration for eyesight standards is in place, no proof is needed. Many people could be ignoring warnings that their eyesight isn’t adequate for driving.
Vision is a critical component of safe driving and ensuring that older drivers can meet the minimum standards required for driving directly addresses a key factor in road safety.