Thousands of British truck drivers could be driving with defective sight, says one of the UK's leading opticians. Research carried out by Specsavers suggests that less than half of the UK operators have a policy to check the eyesight of professional drivers.
For now, there is no specific obligation for firms to check their drivers' sight. The only requirement is for drivers to pass the mandatory
sight test during their driving test. This checks that they can read a number plate from 20.5 metres away, about the length of a cricket pitch. But once drivers have done that, they are not routinely required to prove their eyesight again.
This is due to change by 2013 as the European Parliament has approved the introduction of regular checks of professional drivers' eyesight. The current proposal is that holders of commercial driving licences will have to have their eyes test every five years, with private drivers tested every 10-15 years.
Specsavers says that its research suggests that many hauliers would welcome the measure, because it would make their drivers safer. But the optical company acknowledges that "Britain's business community does not always embrace EU directives with enthusiasm or warmth".
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