Older drivers above 70 urged to check three things before renewing their licence
Dr Hilary discusses the risks for older drivers
Older drivers above the age of 70 should check three simple things when renewing their driving licence, according to a leading expert.
Sergeant Rob Heard, an officer at Hampshire Police and founder of the Older Drivers Forum has warned three eyesight issues are likely to affect road users as they age.
However, the specialist warns that a simple check with an optician could flag up issues and keep elderly motorists and other road users safe.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Heard explained: “For all of us there are three things that affect our eyesight.
READ MORE Older drivers above age of 70 ‘should face mandatory eyesight test’, says expert
“There’s what we call acuity, the ability to read something in the distance. That needs to be checked.
“Contrast sensitivity, as we age, sometimes a lot of older people avoid driving at night because that sudden blinding headlight or sudden light from going in and out of shady areas, it can take our eyes much longer to go back to normal.
“At the age of 15 if you’re blinded by a set of headlights it will take two seconds to go back to seeing normal, at the age of 65 if we are blinded by a headlight it will take up to nine seconds.
“The contrast sensitivity needs to be checked by an optician. And the third thing that needs to be checked is your peripheral vision.
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“As we age it does start to reduce, 33 percent of the people aged 40 and above actually have four main medical conditions that affect their eyesight.
“Namely things like cataracts, glaucoma, there are things we start to suffer from as we age.”
Under the current rules, motorists with notifiable medical conditions may be forced to participate in some checks.
The DVLA may contact the applicant’s doctor to arrange for the applicant to be examined by a doctor or to undergo an eyesight or driving test.
According to Age UK, poor eyesight is one of the leading issues which can affect an older person’s ability to drive.
Healthy motorists are not required to attend a mandatory eyesight test to renew their licence in the UK.
However, this is something Rob has previously called, pushing officials to introduce checks every three years.
He previously told Express.co.uk: “One of our recommendations to the Department for Transport was that we should at the age of 70 and every three years or when we renew our licence thereafter undertake an eyesight test with an optician.”
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