Evidence suggests eyesight is not a leading cause of road accidents, says Age UK. And 75, rather than 70, would be a more logical age at which to start demanding proof of good vision every three years instead of relying on self regulation. Charity director Caroline Abrahams says that while requiring an eye test “may be a sensible safeguard to bring in now, one that reflects practice in a number of other similar countries, no one should think that in and of itself it will lead to a significant reduction in road traffic accidents, because the data suggests that poor eyesight among older drivers is not a leading cause.” She also notes that points out that the decision to require three yearly licence renewals fom 70 “was chosen quite arbitrarily in 1971 when life expectancy was 68 for men and 72 for women. Both have of course since increased quite substantially and vehicles are also safer than they were all those years ago. Age UK believes that requiring evidence from an eye test, together with raising the age at which this is required to age 75, would be a balanced, evidence based approach, but to do the first without the second feels disproportionately negative so far as older drivers are concerned, the overwhelming majority of whom take very seriously their responsibility to be safe on the road”.
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