Over one million people driving illegally because they can't see

• A quarter (25 per cent) of UK adults haven’t had an eye test in the past two years and 2.8 million people have never had an eye test as an adult
• Ten per cent of drivers who need glasses admit to driving without them
• Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight led to 182 fatal or serious collisions in 2023

It is estimated that over one million people are driving with eyesight below the UK legal minimum requirement, with serious consequences for road safety, according to new data from Churchill motor insurance ¹. Churchill partnered with a leading optician to test drivers who haven’t had an eye examination for over two years and found that one in ten were unable to read a number plate from 20 meters¹, the minimum legal requirement.  Department for Transport data shows that driving with uncorrected defective eyesight led to 182 fatal or serious collisions in 2023.²

Figures show 13.5 million³ people, a quarter of adults, haven’t had an eye test in the past two years, which is the interval recommended by the NHS. Worryingly 2.8 million people in the UK have never had an eye test as an adult. Over half of those (60 per cent) said that they didn’t feel that they needed a test because they felt they could “see OK”. Over a quarter (27 per cent) said that the cost of having an eye test and getting any required prescription had put them off being tested. A staggering 3.5 million drivers (seven per cent) suspect that their eyesight isn’t road legal.

Even drivers who have been told they need glasses or contact lenses when behind the wheel don’t always wear them. Eight per cent of those questioned who need glasses to drive admitted that they only wear them ‘sometimes’ or ‘rarely’ and a further two per cent confessed that they never wear their prescription lenses when driving. Shockingly, a quarter of those who drive without their glasses admitted that they couldn’t read road signs and 29 per cent admitted having had an incident because they couldn’t see clearly.³

Table 1: Experiences of drivers not wearing their prescribed glasses / contacts

Source: Churchill motor insurance 2024

Nicholas Mantel, Head of Churchill Motor Insurance, commented: “Our roads are safest when every driver takes responsibility not only for their vehicle but also for their own health and capability to drive safely. It’s important that drivers have regular eye tests to ensure that they are fit to drive. Eyesight tends to deteriorate slowly, so drivers may not notice the decline in vision unless they get regular tests. Blurred or poor vision can lead to delayed decision making and response, increasing the risk of accidents. For those who do have glasses or lenses for driving, it is important to wear them to, keeping yourself and others safer on the road.”

Abbas Pirai, optician from Hodd, Barnes and Dickens, who conducted the study, commented: “It is incredibly worrying that so many drivers don’t meet the UK’s road legal eyesight requirements.³ Many drivers do not realise than even minor vision issues can significantly reduce their ability to see signs, the dashboard, pedestrians, and other cars, affecting their ability to drive safely. Regular eye tests are not just a health recommendation, they are a necessary step to ensure every driver is fit for the road”.

- ENDS –

Notes to Editors

1. Experiment eye tests conducted for Churchill Motor Insurance by Hodd, Barnes, and Dickens Opticians between 23^rd September and 4^th October 2024.
2. Department for Transport: Reported road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2023
3. Survey conducted for Churchill Motor Insurance by Opinium amongst 2000 UK adults between 04^th October to 08^th October 2024.

For further information please contact:

Unni Henry

Churchill PR Manager 

Email:  unni.henry@directlinegroup.co.uk

FleishmanHillard  

Tel: 0777 543 0035  

Email: DirectLineGroupMedia@Fleishman.com

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line. Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. UK Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.   Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc. Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200 300 or visiting www.churchill.com.