Poor vision costs lives. 18 people sadly lost their lives on UK roads in 2025 and around 3,000 are seriously injured every year due to drivers or riders with uncorrected or defective eyesight. The law requires that all motorists are able to read a car number plate from 20 metres (that’s about five car lengths); have a visual acuity of 6/12 measured on the Snellen scale (wearing prescription eyewear, if necessary) and have adequate field of vision. There are additional standards for lorry and bus drivers. Results of the vision screening undertaken by Suffolk Police will be included in the ‘Is Your Vision Roadworthy?’ annual survey of drivers’ vision which will be used to inform future road safety policy and campaigns. The 2025 Is Your Vision Roadworthy? survey found more than 1.2 million motorists were driving on Britain’s roads with defective eyesight, with some motorists’ vision falling way below the legal minimum standards. One driver could only read a car registration from just over a metre away, well short of the required 20 metres. Chief Inspector Gary Miller, Head of the Joint Norfolk & Suffolk Roads & Armed Policing Team, said: "Most drivers know that worn or defective tyres on their vehicle can result in a fine and penalty points, but they are less likely to realise that driving with uncorrected defective eyesight is punishable with a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification. Poor vision can increase your risk of a collision. "Ninety per cent of the information a driver uses is visual," Chief Inspector Miller added, "so we want to use the roadside screening to raise awareness of the fundamental importance of good eyesight. Drivers who fail to meet the required standards are not only breaking the law but putting themselves and other road users at risk.” The Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, Tim Passmore, said: "Every life lost on Suffolk's roads is one life too many. “Many of these tragedies are preventable, which is why it is so important that drivers take responsibility for ensuring they are fit to drive. "Our eyesight naturally deteriorates over time and conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma can significantly affect our ability to drive safely, especially on rural roads which were never designed for the levels of traffic we see now. “Poor eyesight, particularly when it has not been identified or treated, can be just as dangerous as drink or drug driving. "I would urge all motorists, especially older drivers, to have regular eye tests and to make sure their vision meets the legal standards for driving. “A simple eye examination could help prevent a devastating collision and save lives." The roadside vision screening will ask drivers to read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres. All tests will be conducted in good daylight conditions, using a registration plate affixed to a vehicle at the correct measured distance (20m), with the driver wearing any eyesight correction (eg: spectacles) worn at the time of driving. Under legislation known as Cassie’s Law, drivers who fail a roadside number plate test could have their licence revoked on the spot if a police officer deems them to be unsafe to be on the road. Vision can decline gradually without you realising, so motorists are advised to have biennial sight tests, even if you think your eyesight is fine, to help ensure your vision remains roadworthy. Over the next two weeks Suffolk Police/Norfolk Police will be undertaking an increased number of mandatory and voluntary road side eye sight tests. A video explaining the eyesight tests with PC Will Hudson from Roads Policing is below> Is your eyesight roadworthy? Police to conduct vision screenings https://youtu.be/y3CigaZ-C84 For practical advice and information about vision and driving visit www.IsYourVisionRoadworthy.org.uk For further information about the Is Your Vision Roadworthy? campaign email: info@IsYourVisionRoadworthy.org.uk | 
