Planned eyesight tests for drivers over 70 'don't go far enough'

BBC News

3 days ago

Plans to introduce compulsory eye tests for older motorists "don't go far enough", the son of a woman who was killed by a driver with undisclosed poor eyesight has said.People over 70 could have to be screened every three years and face being banned from the roads if they fail.Following an inquest into four deaths caused by drivers with failing eyesight, Lancashire's senior coroner Dr James Adeley in April called on ministers to take action, warning the current enforcement system was "unsafe".A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Road safety measures have not been reviewed for over a decade, and we will set out the next steps for our strategy for road safety in due course."
'Prevent future deaths'
The proposed reforms have been welcomed by Labour MP Paul Waugh.He has been campaigning for a change in the law following the death of 75-year-old Anne Ferguson. She was hit by a van driven by 72-year-old Vernon Law in Whitworth, Lancashire, in 2023.Dr Adeley wrote to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander about the deaths of Mrs Ferguson and other road victims Marie Cunningham, Grace Foulds and Peter Westwell.Mrs Ferguson's inquest heard that Law, who was jailed for four years, had been diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes.He lied to his optometrist by saying he did not drive, and also failed to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).Rochdale MP Waugh told BBC Radio Manchester: "That's really shocking. It shows there was something wrong with the system."He said while mandatory eye tests for over 70s would not bring Mrs Ferguson back, they may prevent future deaths."We can't allow similar tragedies to affect other families in future," he said.
Mrs Cunningham was struck by Glyn Jones in his Audi A3 as she crossed the road in Southport, Merseyside, in November 2021.Her son Terry Cunningham told BBC Radio Merseyside that while the government's proposals "will make a difference" they "don't go far enough".He said mandatory sight tests were a "step in the right direction" because the current system - in which drivers over 70 are only asked to "self-certify" any sight issues - was "typically putting a tick in a box".He said more far-reaching changes were required, however, since Jones was only 65 at the time of the fatal collision.Jones's sentencing hearing was told he could not even see his steering wheel clearly.Mr Cunningham said: "If a car is MOT'd the car is safe but you are never MOT'd for 53 years by anybody professional."He called for all drivers to have eye tests every 10 years when photocard driving licences are due for renewal.
BBC North West Tonight went to Preston to canvass opinion.Colin Richardson, 77, said he was "all in favour" of mandatory eye tests for people even younger than 70 to ensure "safety on the roads".He added: "You test a car every three years - why shouldn't drivers be tested?"Keith Andrews said eye tests "should be compulsory" for older people, and conducted more often.The 76-year-old, who still drives, said: "I think they should be every two years. At our age [our eyesight] deteriorates. I don't three years is sufficient."
Fellow Preston resident, 80-year-old Jacqueline Tanner, said she had regular eye tests.She said compulsory tests were "the right thing to do". "Probably in another five years I'll not be able to drive but I am quite happy to drive at the minute," she said.Meanwhile, Delyth Fishwick, 63, said: "Part of me thinks it should be people's choice... but then you have to look at the safety aspect, too."
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