Not before time: Eye tests for the over 70s and Drink-driving limit
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Surely if you had to get the test to renew your licence and required correction to be legal that information would be on the DVLA data base. Then if you were stopped for a traffic infringement it would flag up when the police checked you had a valid licence. No glasses when you should be wearing them would mean you were driving not in accordance with your licence. That would also invalidate your insurance. A minimum of a years disqualification would seem an appropriate penalty.
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An optician can already report a patient to the DVLA if the patient refuses to take the opticians advice not to drive.
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Whilst regular eye tests should be a requirement for all drivers clearly older dsrivers suffer from more ailments that impact on driving and of course there is a case to formulise the checking of eye sight. We probably all agree on that, although I would lower the age to 50. Why do I suggest 50? I suspect its around that age that people with previously good eyesight start to need glasses. That was certainly true in my case. When younger I was lukly to enjoy almost 20/20 vision but at 50 I got my first pair of glasses.
Another aspect of this campaign I find upsetting is that it is just one of several attacks on pensioners at the moment and however needed these changes may be I suspect some pensioners will see it s just another pop at them. I firmly believe, when changes need to be made that you sell the benefits to get every one on side but I an not sure that is happening?
David
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It would be simple to ensure corrective eyesight wear was actually used by including a general condition in Motor Insurance policies that all cover will be excluded in the event of a claim if shown to be relevant. Obviously there are parts of motor insurance such as Third Party personal injury claims that the insurer has to cover but nothing stopping them from pursuing their own insured driver afterwards.
Let's face it Insurers demand to be told about extra items added to the vehicle such as towbars and we've had several threads about such issues and these days can restrict you in many ways, such as mileage, black box technology for checking what hours you are driving etc.
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@Bakers2 I need glasses to drive, these are vaifocal and light reactive, I find these do not help night driving. The pair of night specs I have fit over my every day glasses and make everything less glarey. The case is marked "Musivon" and I think they have yellow tinted polaroid lenses.
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I am type 2 diabetic eye sight test every 12 months, strangely the 12 month NHS eye screening test has been from 12 to 24 months, however I do pay extra eye scan at the optician.
For the last 6 years I have been at the stage I don't need driving glasses, however 6 years ago I took the option to have driving glasses, you be surprised how much better my vision is with driving glasses.
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Do you not get the annual check for diabetic retinopathy, @Oscarmax, the one with the hideous drops in the eyes? You should get it as a T2 diabetic and by having that done, there is no need to pay for the similar scan at the opticians.
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I started to need reading type glasses in my late 50’s, so have lots of 1.5/2 strengths kicking around the house, as I do lots of close craft work and love reading. Use with my IPad as well. I knew my vision was altering beyond this step when I was finding it more difficult to drive at dusk, and so an eye check confirmed that my eyes were changing. I had a pair of driving glasses prescribed, to help with clarity and to combat the glare. I can get free eye checks every year, as my Mum has Glaucoma, so Sis and me get our eyes checked regularly. No signs of Glaucoma, but my eyes are changing, and I never drive, day or night without my glasses now. They are handy for viewing in stadiums as well, but I don’t wear them all the time, haven’t needed to for anything else. Current ones are stronger than my original prescription glasses, and last visit, Optician did say I was right on the legal limit for driving without glasses, so they go with me everywhere now.
Life is hard enough as you age with all sorts of aches and pains, but if something can be provided that will help, this household just goes with it.
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My understanding is the reverse, ie the diabetic retinopathy check is the more intense, hence the drops to dilate the pupils to give a better view of the retina.🤷🏻♂️
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may I suggest that you go to another specsavers. We have just been to our local one after 1 year and we are both well over 70 . My OH was told that he has a small difference in one eye but he needn't change his glasses and mine were no different, but I did have another medical thing wrong which was easily put right with some good advice. It cost us nothing.
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We use a self owned opticians. I always have done. Had to find a new one when 1st retired,then 2nd changed hands, not so got..3rd was great in 40 plus years.Took us a couple of attempts to find a good one since we moved counties.
I've never used specsaver but OH did..he couldn't see clearly with new glasses. Back several times, in fact one time - the last, he watched a receptionist mouth here he comes again. Money back went to my opticians. Not got the alignment correct. I know they're supposed to be self owned franchise. But wouldn't risk again.
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The DVLA use Specsavers for some of its diabetic eye tests. Margaret was sent there the last time she renewed her license. Th fact that the DVLA do this is probably not a particular endorsement of Specsavers but more to do with it being a national chain so easier to set up contracts?
David
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Interesting isnt it, people over 70 will get banned from driving for the rest of their lives which could be 10/20/30 years because they cannot pass an eye test before renewing their driving license, whilst in the press this week, 1 case of 80 year old man caught driving whilst under the influence of cocaine, 1 smoking hippy crack whilst at the wheel and a middle aged lady again caught driving whilst under the influence of cocaine, all got what i would call "a slap on the wrist" in view of the severity of their deeds and will be able to continue driving within a very short space of time, and dont get me started on drink driving.
@joanie yup i think once again it is very much a post code lottery
@Bakers2 yes i had similar situation but in the reverse direction to you. Today i am in fact using spectacles that were prescription specs from Spec Savers 3 years ago and i can see far better in these than i can in my most recent. I should have gone back and complained but i sometimes just cannot being doing with the Hassle.
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“Interesting isnt it, people over 70 will get banned from driving for the rest of their lives which could be 10/20/30 years because they cannot pass an eye test before renewing their driving license” ???
Sorry, but no idea where your logic is there? Surely if anyone at any age cannot pass an eyesight test to allow them to drive, then they should not be driving 🤯 I’m surprised they’d find the opticians in the first place 🙄🤭0 -
@Gillway was not advocating that anybody that cannot read a standard number plate from 20 m should be allowed to drive, however, as things are today you pass your test at 17 which includes the 20m test, no optician needed, if you are successful then you do not need to take any further test, and even if your eye sight deteriorates, although you are legally bound to inform DVLA how many adhere to this?, there is a box to tick when renwing your licence that asks if your eyesight is ok, but that is as good as it gets, and i dont recall ever being asked at the opticians if i drive, although i always inform them that i am a driver, and i dont think opticians are under any obligation, except in exceptional cases, to inform DVLA if your eyesight deems you not fit to drive and i am pretty sure they do not have access to the DVLA data base.
what i am advocating is that the punishment meated out for drink driving, driving whilst under the influence of drugs etc be beefed up e.g. 5 year ban for second offence and a requirement to re-sit your driving test, total ban for repeat offenders of which there are many. Not checked it out buy my guess is that there are many more deaths on our roads relating to alchol/drugs than their are for not being able to read a standard number plate at 20m
Maybe as a first step, if you are every pulled over by the police for whatever reason, they should ask you to take the 20m test, fail and they mark as such on the DVLA data base and your licence is suspended until such time that you can prove you can pass the test
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