A driving eyesight toolkit has been launched by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare which aims to provide employers and employees with all the information they need regarding the regulations and requirements for driver eyesight.
The toolkit sets out the employer’s responsibility for drivers under health and safety regulations and explains the higher risk of collision for those who drive for work purposes and suggests considerations for eyecare policies.
For company car drivers it provides advice on the small steps they can take to improve their driving vision including advice on regular eye examinations and the wider benefits of eyecare.
According to the Driving and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA), you must wear glasses or contact lenses every time you drive if you need them to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’. You could be prosecuted if you drive without meeting these standards.
To meet the standards of vision you must be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres.
You must also have a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale and an adequate field of vision – your optician can tell you about this and do a test.
It’s recommended that people should get their eyes tested every two years and in some circumstances, more frequently like if you have diabetes, are aged over 70 or have a history of glaucoma.
Suzanne Randall, corporate account manager for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said ‘We feel extremely strongly about the issue of poor driver eyesight. It is a problem that can cause shattering results but can be so easily and cost-effectively overcome. By introducing the driving eyesight toolkit, we hope to assist employers and employees alike in making sure the roads become a safer place for us all.’
To download your own free copy of the driving eyesight toolkit click here.
