Putting Vision in the Driving Seat

The number of motorists who have lost their licences due to poor vision has increased by more than 150% in just 5yrs (according to research carried out by the Co-operative Motor Group).  A freedom of information request made by the group revealed that in 2010, 4,009 motorists had their licences revoked due to bad vision, compared with just 1,597 in 2006.

The research also showed a clear trend in the rise with numbers increasing to 2,612 in 2007, then 2,764 in 2008 and 3,014 in 2009.  The Co-operative Motor Group Managing Director Tony Guest said “good eyesight is essential to safe driving and we would urge anybody who has concerns over their vision to contact a specialist.  There is no room for complacency when it comes to road safety”.

The news follows the launch of Westfield’s DRIVE campaign, in association with registered charity ‘The Eyecare Trust’.  At present there is no legal obligation for employers to ensure drivers comply with minimum sight requirement.  With the exception of HGV and passenger transport vehicle drivers, once a person has passed the mandatory driving test sight assessment, they are not required to prove the fitness of their eyesight again during their working lives.

However this is set to change, as new EU legislation is due to be introduced before January 2013, which will make it mandatory for all employees who drive as part of their job to have their eyes tested regularly in order to keep their licence.

The DRIVE Campaign is specifically aimed at informing employers about the proposed changes, providing useful resources, information and advice to ensure businesses are able to manage the new requirements.  Paul Shires, Executive Director (Sales & Marketing) at Westfield said “These latest figures show an alarming rise in the amount of people losing their licence because of poor vision.

“Driving with bad eyesight poses a big risk, not only to the driver but to other road users and pedestrians too”.

For this reason Westfield has welcomed the EUs proposed changes to eyecare legislation, but its understandable that during these difficult economic times it will be hard for many employers to find a way to manage the new requirements.  The DRIVE Campaign is designed to help employers implement the legislation as easily as possible and in the most cost-effective way.

All Westfield’s Health cash plans include optical benefit, which enables employees to claim back the cost of sight tests, glasses and contact lenses, up to set limits, ensuring that staff can keep their eyesight in check without worrying about cost.

For more details about the legislation changes, follow @DriveCampaign on Twitter.  For More Information about Westfield’s Optical Benefit, call: 0114 250 2000.

By Mike Buss.

Tags: driving, eyecare, eyesight, Health, insurance, Mike Buss, Personal Trainer, Personal Training, spec savers, specsavers, Vision, Westfield Health

Category: Health News