Truck drivers with poor eyesight risk having their licence taken away at the roadside by police.
Police forces across the UK are clamping down on motorists with defective eyesight in a bid to slash the number of death and serious injuries on the road.
Almost 3,000 people are injured in the UK due to drivers with bad eyesight and this latest initiative is designed to stop them from getting behind the wheel in the first place.
It comes after a recent survey showed an alarming lack of awareness about the dangers of not having regular eye tests. One in four motorists has failed to undergo an eye test since they passed their driving test, 81 per cent of those surveyed were overdue an eye test while 62 per cent required a new prescription.
Around 6,000 drivers have their licence revoked for poor eyesight every year. In 2016, that figure included 1,300 HGV drivers, which was a 45 per cent increase on four years earlier!
Given that vision plays an essential role for drivers, it’s shocking that the only eye test a person has to complete before getting behind the wheel is to read a number plate from 20 yards on their actual driving test.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise to see campaigners demanding a change in the law. They want to see eye tests becoming a legal requirement every 10 years and for operators of huge fleets to take more care of their drivers’ vision.
Britons are advised to have their eyes tested every to years, but there is no legal requirement to do so, and as Brits we will only go and see someone once a visible problem arises. Unfortunately, there are many issues that could go undetected for years unless they have been checked out by a qualified optician.
Whether you are driving a removal truck, a flatbed or a beavertail, it’s imperative that your vision is not impaired. If you have not had an eye test in more than two years or have noticed a slight deteriation in your vision, be smart and book yourself in for an eye test now. You could just save someone’s life.
And do you know what would go well with a new pair of glasses? A new truck from Mac’s Truck, that’s what! For all your truck needs, call Mac’s Trucks on 01422 311999 today.
