The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) has found that around 13 million motorists on Britain’s roads are not wearing the glasses or contact lenses needed to correct their vision while behind the wheel.

Are any of those drivers on your fleet?

When it comes to mitigating risk, fleet managers know that as well as vehicles being up to scratch, business drivers must also be fit for purpose. More and more operators are routinely checking licences and providing training for high risk employees.

You might think that when it comes to eyesight nobody should be more aware of the need for correction than drivers themselves. But, as the RNIB found, that’s often not the case.

Mark Raines, director of retail development at Specsavers, says that most people over the age of 40 will experience sight problems and urges all drivers to have regular eye care checks. “Loss of vision can creep up on people,” he says.

“A person may have had good eyesight in the past and not have noticed a gradual deterioration.”

Given the possible consequences of bad driver eyesight – ranging from vehicle downtime to loss of life – a strong argument exists for fleet managers to keep an eye on their drivers’ vision, just as they would monitor any other risk factor.

Duty of care

Employers are legally required to ensure that, if necessary, staff wear glasses while working at a computer console. Currently there is no such requirement to check driver eyesight. 

However, as of 2011 EU legislation will require all commercial vehicle drivers to have their eyes checked every five years, and private motorists checked every 10-15 years.

To be legally fit to drive motorists must be able to read an
old style number plate (pre-2001) from a distance of 20.5 metres, or a new number plate from 20 metres away.

It is an offence not to wear corrective lenses if they are needed and if caught without them motorists could land themselves three penalty points and up to a £1,000 fine.