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Be aware that these 3 forces will require all drivers and riders stopped to prove that they can read a number plate at 20.5 meters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-45387965" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The forces taking part in the trial are Thames Valley, Hampshire and West Midlands. (Thames Valley is made up of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, Reading Borough and Oxford City)

Drivers (and riders) who fail to read a number plate from 20m (65ft) away when stopped by police will have their licences revoked immediately in a new crackdown. This is on the back of a recent case where a police car was forced to take evasive action when the man drove the wrong way after pulling out from a junction on to the A3 in Surrey.

The elderly driver was stopped and given a roadside eyesight test, which he failed as he could only read a number plate from 7.3m away. The minimum distance is 20m.

The power to revoke licences was introduced in 2013 under Cassie's Law, named after 16-year-old Cassie McCord, who died when an 87-year-old man lost control of his vehicle in Colchester, Essex.

What it means is that a Police officer can request an urgent revocation of a licence through the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they believe the safety of other road users will be put at risk if a driver remains on the road.

Bear in mind that the Police are not authorised to actually check someone's eyesight. If you are stopped, what they should tell you is that they require to check your ability to read a number plate at 20.5 meters.

So, when was the last time you had your eyes checked?

Have you read our recent blog about depth perception?

Deteriorating eyesight is something that can catch you out as it creeps up on you. There is a tendency to acclimatise and compensate without realising that something is wrong.

A regular eye check can also potentially highlight other possible health problems, in my case for example, I was told at my regular eye check that I have an early stage cataract which will need to be dealt with in the future, but at least I am now aware of it even though at the moment I have not noticed any significant change.

If you do have your eyes tested, please consider the remider I make in my blog about having your depth perception tested as well.

https://www.hudgellsolicitors.co.uk/new ... e-dangers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I never ever knew where or what "Hants" was until just now.

Good idea. But as we always say with all of these new schemes - there aren't enough police about.

I get my eyes tested every 2 years.

D41 wrote:I never ever knew where or what "Hants" was until just now.

I did write Hampshire but there was insufficient room for the full word

Kwacky wrote:Good idea. But as we always say with all of these new schemes - there aren't enough police about.

I get my eyes tested every 2 years.

I agree, but this is not something that only a traffic cop can deal with, and in Thames Valley (my force) a lot of drivers are stopped by divisional plod who will also implement this scheme.

Thames Valley and Hamphire Traffic are one division as they merged 3 or 4 years ago even though they remain seperate forces. Hants hve always been very proactive in respect of traffic policing. I cannot speak for the West Mids but they are one of the biggest so I imagin the same rule is being applied, all cops can participate.

Kwacky wrote:Good idea. But as we always say with all of these new schemes - there aren't enough police about.

I get my eyes tested every 2 years.

What he said, but an excellent idea. It may at least give some statistics on the %age of those stopped who fail. Probably quite scary.

Like kwacky, I get my eyes tested at least every 2 years, mainly as I wear spectacles.

I never really gave it much thought till now but I imagine there are many people on the roads with poor eyesight. I must confess I'm guilty of just assuming everyone was up to the required standard, but clearly that's not true.

I am the same, eye test every 2 years.

I went from being long sighted and being able to see a boil on a gnats bum at 500 paces and only requiring glasses to read to needing glasses for both distance and close work all the time so now I wear varifocals.

It caught up with me without realising and it was 3 years ago that I was told that I had an early stage cataract which will require seeing to at some stage.

But the point is that many people think that the eye sight issue only affects old people (or older people ) but it never ceased to amaze me how many young drivers I used to stop or young riders I used to train or examine that really had a problem with their eyes. Usually because their ego, vanity, call it what you will refused to accept that they had a problem and they did not want to be see wearing glasses for fear of being called speccy or worse by their friends.

I have lost count of the number of crashes I have dealt with over the past 40 years that were caused because of dodgy eyeballs. Even now I still probably see a dozen or more that I have to investigate which is caused by bad or defective eyes.

I would love to see it mae compulsory that all drivers and riders are required to underake bi-annual eye sight tests.

Take the test or lose your licence. It would be interesting to see how many are out there on the road with dodgy peepers.

Like most of us I also get my eyes tested regularly, work will pay if I want them to, due to using computer screens on a daily basis - this is very common, so worth checking if your employer offers such a service.

The accident T.C. referred to happened local to me, we have a problem with older drivers in this area, mainly due to new retirees selling up and moving to the coast. With no family around them they depend on their car for shopping and social lives and will refuse to surrender them even though spouses, friends or family have advised against driving - I know this because both my Mother and FiL were/are proof of it. As far as I am concerned roadside eye checks are a good thing and I sincerely hope it stops another young or not so young life being lost.

Deegee wrote:Like most of us I also get my eyes tested regularly, work will pay if I want them to, due to using computer screens on a daily basis - this is very common, so worth checking if your employer offers such a service.

The accident T.C. referred to happened local to me, we have a problem with older drivers in this area, mainly due to new retirees selling up and moving to the coast. With no family around them they depend on their car for shopping and social lives and will refuse to surrender them even though spouses, friends or family have advised against driving - I know this because both my Mother and FiL were/are proof of it. As far as I am concerned roadside eye checks are a good thing and I sincerely hope it stops another young or not so young life being lost.

Very true. I think my Dad must be borderline

You know, this thread is actually a pretty good reminder....I'm sure it's been at least a couple of years since I had mine tested, and in early 50's etc., I'm sure it can't hurt to get them checked. It almost "feels" like my vision is off just a bit.

Cookie my Mum lost 45% of the sight in her right eye with the same condition that hit Beermonster, she swore she was ok to drive after she was stabilised, but I rendered her car undriveable until I had either proof of her sight being ok or a statement from a driving instructor she was ok. She was not happy, however I pointed out that should she kill, maim or hurt someone else whilst unfit to drive I and my Sibs would have a lifetime of looking the family of her victim in the eye around our town (it’s not large), while she may not survive said accident.
She eventually saw my side of it and got both the opticians ok and a pass from a driving instructor- and yes she could read a number plate at 20 metres, so of course I put the car back to working order.

Trust me when I say I took a lot of crap from family & friends, plus my relationship with her was never the same after, however I’d do the same again, after all it might have been her Grandson she hit with a car.

Sorry if I come across as hard hearted b*st*rd, but I genuinely felt I did the right thing at the time, maybe someone should have done something similar for Colin Horsfall.

I need to get my eyes tested, I put my sisters glasses on and everything went crystal clear!

I'm glad to see so many people get their eyes tested to be honest. I do too. It all started when I started to work for Royal Mail as they won't let you drive their vans unless you have a up to date eye test. I have passed ever since.

Great that they can. However i think legally it should be a requirement for everyone to have an eye sight every few years if you drive. To get to a point of only seeing 7 meters in front of you is a scary prospect while we drive around them

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Police obviously suspect that self abuse is a bigger problem in Thames Valley, Hants and the West Midlands.

Out in force yesterday in Marlow, judging my local face book page