Clear sight, safer nights: GEM’s call for drivers to book an eye test

• One in 10 drivers aged 81 to 90 failed roadside eyesight check  
• Autumn driving conditions - reduced daylight, low sun, smeared windscreens, can make hazards harder to identify
• GEM urges motorists to book an eye test before darker journeys take hold

More than one in 10 drivers aged 81 to 90 failed a legal eyesight check in a recent UK roadside screening survey, prompting breakdown and road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist to urge motorists to book an eye test as night-time journeys become more common.

GEM says the shift into autumn makes clear sight especially important. Reduced daylight, low sun, headlight glare, rain-smeared windscreens and reflections from wet roads can make hazards more difficult to identify.

These factors may also expose vision problems that drivers have gradually learned to live with, according to GEM.

A survey that forms part of the Department for Transport’s current consultation on older-driver eyesight testing found that 10.2% of motorists aged 81 to 90 who were stopped by police and tested could not read a number plate at the required distance of 20 metres. Across the 3,010 drivers and riders screened, 1.7% failed the test. GEM says its findings reinforce the importance of identifying eyesight changes early.

The number of full driving-licence holders aged 70 and over in Great Britain has risen to more than 6.3 million — an increase of 60% since 2021.

James Luckhurst, head of road safety at GEM Motoring Assist, said: “Drivers need clear, reliable vision to spot a pedestrian in poor light, judge the speed of an approaching vehicle or read a direction sign in time to make a safe decision.

“As the number of older licence holders grows, the number of drivers who may need vision correction, monitoring or treatment is also likely to grow. This makes regular eye examinations increasingly important. After all, eyesight changes often happen gradually, and it can be easy to assume that the difficulties of night driving, glare or reading signs are simply part of getting older.“

This is why GEM is adamant that any changes in vision, however slight, should be taken seriously. A routine eye test is quick, straightforward and can make a real difference to safety and confidence on the road.”

GEM is encouraging drivers of any age to ensure regular eye examinations are part of their personal road-safety routine, rather than waiting for a problem to become obvious.

Five signs your vision may be affecting your driving:  

• You cannot read road signs or number plates until you are close  
• Headlights, low sun or wet roads create troubling glare  
• You find it harder to judge distance or gaps at junctions  
• Driving at night feels increasingly tiring or stressful  
• You have noticed blurred, double or patchy vision.