Drivers unable to read a car number plate from 20m away could have their driving licence revoked on the spot.
An initiative launched this month by Thames Valley, West Midlands and Hampshire police, aims to crack down on drivers with poor eyesight
Testing all those stopped
A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary told OnTheWight they would not be stopping drivers specifically to test eyesight, but if a driver was stopped for a suspected traffic offence, they’d be tested throughout whole of September.
The police also tell OnTheWight they’ll be gathering figures during September of those who failed the test.
Standards of vision
According to the DVLA Website, standards of vision for driving include:
- 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 meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) using both eyes together or, if you have sight in one eye only, in that eye.
- You must also have an adequate field of vision – your optician can tell you about this and do a test.
Cassie’s Law
Under ‘Cassie’s Law’ – which came into force in 2013 – police can inform the DVLA by telephone or email of the outcome of roadside 20m sight test.
If the driver fails the test, their licence can be revoked within an hour and they could face prosecution.
