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Eyesight Tests Being Overlooked As Drivers Blindly Take To The Roads

Almost half of company car drivers (45.6%) on UK roads have not had an eyesight test in the last 3 years, and nearly 30% (29.4%) have not had their sight tested in the past 5 years, or at all.

These worrying statistics come as a result of analysis conducted by online driver assessment and e-driver training specialist E-Training World, which examined data from 340 drivers from some of the UK’s biggest fleet operators who have recently completed E-Training World’s online risk assessment.

And even though eyesight tests are recommended annually, and many company car policies stipulate a yearly examination, only a quarter of drivers surveyed had had an eyesight test within the last 12 months.

“Whilst these results are quite shocking, they do not surprise me”, commented Graham Hurdle, managing director of E-Training World.

“Having worked in the fleet sector for more than 20 years, providing driver training and assessment, I knew the figures would be poor. For some reason, many drivers take a very relaxed approach towards their eyesight and think that just because they can see means they can see well enough to be safe on the road.

“However, to quote the law it is a legal requirement that you must be able to read a standard size number plate (with glasses or corrective lenses if necessary) from 20.5 metres (67 feet) or 20 metres (65 feet) where narrower characters (50mm) wide are displayed. The law is set for a reason as it is a gauge of how well you must be able to see in order to be safe on the road, and any person driving on a public highway who is unable to do this is guilty of an offence.

“For companies with fleets, who do not stipulate the frequency of eyesight tests in their company handbook, and do not check whether company vehicle drivers have had their eyes tested, it could land the Directors in hot water. If a serious blameworthy accident occurs and it turns out that that driver was not safe because they could not see, the company directors may find themselves facing some close interrogation from the Health and Safety Executive or even from the Police.

“For any company operating a fleet of vehicles, I would strongly recommend you check immediately for evidence that all drivers have had eyesight tests, and ensure that tests are carried out and recorded as a matter of urgency. If you apply our survey results to any fleet in the UK, you can be certain that half of all drivers in every company require a test straight away”, concluded Hurdle.

The survey conducted by E-Training World also discovered that almost a fifth of drivers suffer aches and pains whilst driving with 17.7% complaining of discomfort, and 16.2% admitting that they hadn’t ever adjusted their head restraint to the correct position to avoid whiplash in the event of a collision.

“Companies must remember that a vehicle used for business purposes is classed as a place of work”, said Hurdle. “If someone complains about pain at their desk, measures are taken to find them a better chair, or a more comfortable keyboard to work at. But it seems that company car and van drivers are overlooked, when their discomfort, poor posture, and the incorrect setting of their seat could lead to tiredness, distraction and potentially far worse injuries in the event of an accident”.

Source: E-Training World