§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many eyesight tests were administered by police at accidents involving motor vehicles in each of the past five calendar years in the United Kingdom. [HL1765]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)Where there is reason to suspect that a driver's defective eyesight may have been a contributory factor to a road collision resulting in injuries, the police would normally request the driver to undergo an eyetest. While the police in England and Wales are required to record extensive incident data relating to road collisions resulting in injuries, the requirements do not cover eyesight tests conducted at such incidents. The information requested is therefore not available centrally.
§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to ensure that all drivers over 45 can meet the standards of the eyesight test to obtain a licence; and [HL1766]
Whether they consider that the current eyesight test to obtain a driving licence is sufficiently rigorous to maintain a proper safety standard. [HL1769]
§ The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)All drivers, irrespective of their age, must be able to satisfy the visual standard for driving. The number plate eyesight test for checking drivers' vision has served its purpose well. It is the equivalent to the minimum standard laid down in the EC second Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC) and there are no plans to change the driver licensing arrangements with regard to eyesight.
§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals the European Commission have put forward to harmonise eyesight standards in the European Union in order to obtain a licence to drive a motor vehicle. [HL1767]
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§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonI am aware of no such current proposals. However, I believe that the European Commission is considering a third directive on driver licensing with a view to publishing proposals this summer. Although neither I nor my officials have seen these proposals, I understand that they are unlikely to include provisions on eyesight standards as such, or to include proposals likely to affect the majority of drivers. As soon as any such proposals are published by the Commission, I shall ensure that full consultation is undertaken to elicit views in the UK. It is also within the competence of the European Commission to adapt the eyesight standards for driver licensing to scientific and technical progress without recourse to a Council directive. The Commission is setting up a working group to review the eyesight standards. The UK will be strongly represented on that group, with a view to encouraging a helpful consensus on good practice taking account of opinion in the UK, including the results of current research sponsored by my department.
§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
What evidence they have that eyesight below the standard required to obtain a licence has contributed to (a) fatal and (b) non fatal accidents in the United Kingdom. [HL1768]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe current eyesight standards are based on the requirements of the EC Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC). These standards are applied on the recommendation of the expert opinion of the Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Visual Disorders (which is made up of highly qualified eye specialists nominated by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists).
There are no official statistics available on road traffic accidents that include the numbers of accidents which are attributable to specific health conditions. We have commissioned specific research into visual field impairment and its relevance to driving fitness.