DVLA records have highlighted that certain age groups are more likely to have their driving licences taken away.
It’s been found that drivers born from 1934 to 1943, who are between the ages of 81 and 90, had the highest rate of licence revocations at 10.2 per cent due to failing eyesight standards, reports Birmingham Live.
Dr Carol Hawley from Warwick Medical School commented: “Fortunately, the majority of drivers passed the test, but 96 drivers needed eyesight-related advice from officers.”
She added: “A third of all drivers stopped needed corrective glasses or lenses for driving, but worryingly 40 percent of drivers had not had their eyesight checked for over two years. Fifty drivers failed the roadside test and alarmingly 50 percent of those prescribed glasses for driving were not wearing them when stopped.”
Some drivers managed to avoid a ban by having their spectacles in the car and passing the test on a second try after putting them on. Eye Health UK’s chair and optometrist David Cartwright noted: “Ninety per cent of information needed for driving is visual. Even a minor reduction in vision can slow reaction times and impair your ability to recognise hazards or judge speed.”
He also mentioned: “It can also cause fatigue and affect contrast sensitivity – essential for adjusting to glare and driving in low light conditions. Having regular eye tests, every two years or sooner if you notice a change in your vision is essential to keep you and other road users safe.”
DVLA data reveals that 5.9 per cent of over 90s were affected. One per cent of under 25s had their licence revoked due to eyesight issues, with 0.2 per cent of those aged between 25 and 40 impacted.
The figure rose to 1 per cent for those aged between 41 and 60. This increased further to 1.8 per cent for those aged between 61 and 70, and 2.3 per cent for those aged between 71 and 80, as the data revealed ahead of Christmas.
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