On the spot eye tests could see drivers instantly lose their licences :Wales
27 Feb 2013 19:44
Drivers will have their licences revoked if they fail on-the-spot eye tests in a new police initiative.
In a series of day-long exercises – the first of their kind in South Wales – roads policing officers will be stopping motorists who could lose their licence with almost immediate effect.
Drivers will be invited to read the registration plate of a vehicle parked 20 metres away in a test which simulates the acceptable “legal standard for visual acuity” set by the DVLA.
Those who fail the test could have their driving licence revoked within hours, but officers will mainly be looking to give motorists advice to drive away with.
The police service and the DVLA have worked together to digitise the driving licence revocation process, drastically speeding it up.
Police officers now use handheld devices to report offending drivers, and a quick email response from the DVLA means a licence can be revoked on the same day somebody is caught.
However, this will only happen in the most extreme cases where motorists present an immediate and serious risk to themselves and other road users. Other less serious cases are given a 48 hour completion target or are committed to a non urgent postal transaction.
In February 2011, Cassie McCord, 16, was killed in Colchester by an 87-year-old driver who refused to surrender his licence despite failing an on-the-spot eye sight test three days earlier when he drove into the exit of a petrol station.
According to the Department for Transport, only 10% of drivers over the age of 50 have regular eye sight tests.
Superintendent Steve Furnham said: “There are cultural taboos around drink driving, not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones whilst driving. Motorists ensuring they are wearing appropriate eye wear in order for them to drive safely is just as important.
“Any vehicle in the hands of somebody who doesn’t have full control of it is a lethal weapon.”
Excellent that Police will be out looking for badly behaved road users.
Good too that they will be searching for those who cannot see well. I think if someone simply needed glasses or updated prescription then it might be unfair, especially if they only made a small error, although, I cannot imagine why someone wouldn't go and get new glasses if they knew their eyesight was that bad ! Although money might be a reason in these hard times !
However we cannot have people driving if they cannot properly see !
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