Police forces across the UK are taking part in a nationwide campaign to check drivers’ eyesight and raise awareness of the legal vision standards required to drive.
The fourth annual Is Your Vision Roadworthy? initiative, led by the Older Drivers Forum, Eye Health UK and the University of Warwick, is currently under way, with officers carrying out 20-metre number plate tests alongside community engagement activities.
The campaign aims to highlight the dangers of driving with uncorrected or defective eyesight. According to the campaign organisers, 18 people lost their lives on UK roads in 2025, while around 3,000 are seriously injured each year as a result of drivers or riders with eyesight problems.
Under current legislation, motorists must be able to read a standard vehicle number plate from 20 metres (approximately five car lengths), achieve a visual acuity of at least 6/12 on the Snellen scale, with corrective eyewear if necessary, and meet the required visual field standards. Additional requirements apply to lorry and bus drivers.
The 2025 Is Your Vision Roadworthy? survey found that more than 1.2 million motorists were driving on Britain’s roads with defective eyesight, with some falling significantly below the legal minimum. One driver was only able to read a registration plate from a distance of 70cm.
During the campaign, drivers are being invited to read a number plate from a measured distance of 20 metres. Tests are taking place in good daylight conditions, with motorists wearing any glasses or contact lenses they normally use when driving.
David Cartwright, chair of Eye Health UK, said: “Road safety starts with clear vision. Ninety percent of the information a driver uses is visual, yet many motorists are unaware of their legal responsibility to meet eyesight standards for driving.
“Worryingly, when we last surveyed motorists’ vision 4 in 10 drivers had not had a sight test in the last two years, as recommended.”
Under legislation known as Cassie’s Law, drivers who fail a roadside number plate test could have their licence revoked immediately if a police officer considers them unsafe to remain on the road.
Chief constable Jo Shiner, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, said: “Personal responsibility is the starting point for safer roads. Making sure your eyesight meets the standards of vision for driving is really important and something only you can do to keep yourself and all other road users safe while driving.”
Rob Heard MBE, chair of the Older Drivers Forum, added: “This campaign is a timely reminder of motorists’ responsibility to ensure their vision is fit to drive and highlights the fact that routine sight tests are important safety checks, just like an MOT is for your car.”
As eyesight can deteriorate gradually without motorists realising, drivers are advised to have a sight test every two years, even if they believe their vision is fine.
Results from the nationwide roadside screening campaign will be published in the new year and will contribute to the initiative’s ongoing advocacy work.
For further information, practical advice and details of the legal eyesight standards, visit Is Your Vision Roadworthy?.
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