Northamptonshire Roads Policing Team supports national campaign to test drivers’ vision

Monday (October 28) marked the start of a national road safety campaign highlighting motorists’ legal obligation to ensure their vision is roadworthy every time they get behind the wheel.

As part of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Operation Dark Night road safety initiative (October 28-November 10), officers from Northamptonshire Roads Policing Team will be conducting roadside vision screening and sharing important information about how drivers can keep their vision clear in all light conditions.

Now that British Summer Time has ended, and the nights begin to draw in, more people will find themselves on the road after dark. This is a time when motorists may notice problems with their eyesight as low light levels enlarge the pupils and accentuate any focusing errors – no matter how minor – causing blur.

Trouble focusing or being dazzled by glare from oncoming headlights when driving at night can indicate that your vision is falling below the minimum eyesight standards.

Roads Policing Inspector Ian Wills said: "Most drivers know that worn or defective tyres on their vehicle can result in a fine and penalty points, but they are less likely to realise that driving with uncorrected defective eyesight is punishable with a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification. It can also increase your risk of a collision occurring.

"Ninety per cent of the information a driver uses is visual," Insp Wills added, "so we want to use the roadside screening to raise awareness of the fundamental importance of good eyesight. Drivers who fail to meet the required standards are not only breaking the law but putting themselves and other road users at risk.”

The voluntary roadside vision screening will ask drivers to read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres. All tests will be conducted in good daylight conditions, using a registration plate affixed to a vehicle at the correct measured distance (20m), with the driver wearing any eyesight correction (e.g: spectacles) worn at the time of driving.

Under legislation known as Cassie’s Law [1], drivers who fail a roadside number plate test could have their licence revoked on the spot if a police officer deems them to be unsafe on the road. Other penalties for not meeting the legal eyesight standards include a possible fine or penalty points on your licence.

In addition to the 20m number plate test the legal eyesight standards require motorists to have adequate fields of vision. The DVLA must also be notified about certain eyesight conditions. There are different standards for bus and lorry drivers (Group 2).

Full details of the legal eyesight standards for all motorists can be found at gov.uk/driving-eyesight-rules.

Vision can decline gradually without you realising, so eye experts recommend all motorists have regular sight tests – every two years unless advised otherwise by your optometrist – to help ensure your vision remains roadworthy.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner, National Police Chief Constable Lead for Roads Policing said: “Personal responsibility is the starting point for safer roads. Making sure your eyesight meets the standards of vision for driving is important and something only you can do to keep yourself and all other road users safe while driving.”

As part of the campaign, over the next two weeks, officers from the Force’s Roads Policing Team will be undertaking voluntary roadside vision screenings at various locations across the county.

Results from the nationwide roadside vision screening activity will be released in the new year.

For practical advice and information about vision and driving, including a driving after dark checklist, visit VisionAndDriving.info.