Is your vision roadworthy?

Poor vision costs lives. Thirteen people sadly lost their lives on UK roads in 2024 and around 3,000 are seriously injured every year due to drivers or riders with uncorrected or defective eyesight.  

We are joining forces across the UK to highlight the importance of roadworthy vision. Voluntary roadside vision screenings will be conducted as part of this national road safety initiative to raise awareness of motorists’ legal obligation to meet minimum eyesight standards when driving on public roads. The national campaign runs from 27 October to 9 November - although eyesight is an issue that officers will consider throughout the year and they will conduct roadside eye tests whenever appropriate.  

Ninety per cent of the information a driver uses is visual so we want to use the roadside screenings to raise awareness of the fundamental importance of good eyesight. Drivers who fail to meet the required standards are not only breaking the law but putting themselves and other road users at risk.

The law requires that all motorists are able to read a car number plate from 20 metres (that’s about five car lengths or just over 65 feet); have a visual acuity of 6/12 measured on the Snellen scale (wearing prescription eyewear, if necessary) and have adequate field of vision. There are additional standards for lorry and bus drivers. Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight is punishable with a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification. Poor vision can increase your risk of a collision.

The roadside vision screening will ask drivers to read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres. All tests will be conducted in good daylight conditions, using a registration plate affixed to a vehicle at the correct measured distance (20m), with the driver wearing any eyesight correction (eg: spectacles) worn at the time of driving.

Under legislation known as Cassie’s Law, drivers who fail a roadside number plate test could have their licence revoked on the spot if a police officer deems them to be unsafe to be on the road. Cassie was 16 when she was tragically killed by a driver who had failed an eyesight test just days earlier.

Vision can decline gradually without you realising, so motorists are advised to have sight tests every two years, even if you think your eyesight is fine, to help ensure your vision remains roadworthy.

Together with your help, we can make our roads safer. You can help our campaign by sharing our message and speaking to friends and family about the importance of good vision for driving. We all want our loved ones to get home safely. 

Follow the link for practical advice and information about vision and driving.  

Full details of the legal eyesight standards for all motorists.