MP urges regular eye tests for drivers after car death

Sheffield Heeley MP Meg Munn will warn it is “no longer acceptable” that drivers are allowed to carry on behind the wheel without having to prove their eyesight after they get their licence.

She will urge Ministers to act after the death of Fiona Buckley, the neice of her constituent Joy Barnes, amid growing pressure from road safety campaigners.

“Fiona was crossing the road, and as witnesses reported, was hit by a car which did not attempt to overtake or brake, it drove straight into her,” said Ms Munn. “She suffered a major head injury and broke her pelvis, spine and leg. She died in hospital six weeks later from multi-organ failure.

“Police officers tested the 87- year-old driver’s eyesight and he could not read a car number plate from the required distance of 20.5 metres. He was later found to have cataracts in both eyes which had probably been there for 18 months.

“A doctor said it would give him ‘foggy or hazy’ sight which could have rendered Fiona almost invisible to him.

He also suffered from age-related macular degeneration, which blurs the central vision.”

The incident happened in 2008 and the driver was given just three points on his licence, but the case has raised questions about why drivers are not forced to prove their eyesight in order to keep their licence.

At the moment, motorists have to read a number plate from a distance when they take their driving test, but they are not required to take any further tests even when they reach old age. Only if they voluntarily report an eyesight issue to officials are drivers required to undergo a vision test.

“Good eyesight is a fundamental safety requirement for drivers and we need a scientifically recognised method for testing eyesight which replaces the number-plate tests,” said Ms Munn.

“Ensuring that drivers continue to have adequate vision requires eyesight testing to be mandatory at regular intervals.

“Drivers should have to provide proof that they have had their eyes tested by a medical professional, and that they meet minimum standards for visual acuity and visual field on a regular basis.

“This should happen at least every 10 years, coinciding with drivers renewing their photo card.

Road safety group Brake has been calling for a more scientific eyesight test rather than relying simply on the ability to read a number plate before taking a driving test.

They want to see drivers tested when they obtain their licence and at regular periods afterwards.

Ministers will have to respond to Ms Munn’s calls for change at the end of the debate in Westminster Hall, although the Government has not yet suggested it is prepared to introduce the changes.