Specsavers launches campaign for safe driving, but not to Barnard Castle

Specsavers has partnered with a road safety charity Brake to raise awareness of how bad eyesight can affect your driving.

Next week (November 16 to 22) marks road safety week, which has prompted the opticians chain and the charity to join forces to remind Britons about driving safely.

According to research by Transport for London, cyclists and pedestrians were nearly double the risk of being seriously injured during lockdown in London as less traffic on the road meant people were more likely to speed in their cars.

Specsavers, which is remaining open during the second lockdown, and Brakes are encouraging Britons to get their eyes tested if they are having difficulty seeing properly.

If you’re 17 or 18 and in full time education, are over 60, on benefits, have been told you or your family are diagnosed with glaucoma, or you’re already partially sighted or blind, you are entitled to free eye tests on the NHS. Others may also get free eye tests from their place of work as part of any medical benefits. If you’re not eligible for free eye tests, they can cost between £20 to £25.

Specsavers, which also offers free eye tests, have currently paused them during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Specsavers clinical services director Giles Edmonds said: “Having good eyesight is one of the most basic requirements of safe driving. It means drivers will be able to spot potential dangers, see pedestrians and other vehicles, read road signs and judge speed, distance and movement. Without this, there can be catastrophic consequences on the road.

“While an eye test plays a part in being granted your driver’s licence in that you must be able to read a number plate from 20 meters away – eyesight can change over time, especially as we get older. This is why it is so important to have regular eye checks, not only to address any changes in short or long-sightedness but also because an optician can spot sight-threatening conditions that you may not be aware of, such as cataracts, macular degeneration or glaucoma.”

Earlier this year, senior Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings faced criticism after it was revealed he drove to County Durham with his wife and child while the couple were showing Covid-19 symptoms, breaking government advice.

During their time in Durham, Mr Cummings confirmed he also drove to Barnard Castle with his wife and child, which he said was to test his eyesight before making the long drive home to London.

Ex-Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy criticised Mr Cummings’ decision to drive to test his vision and discouraged Britons from doing so.

He told Radio 4's Today programme: “Clearly, number one, that's ill-advised as a means of testing your eyesight as to whether you're fit to drive, but again it's hard to see - unless there's some justification that that was to take daily exercise - how that was justified.”

Asked if it was a criminal offence, Sir Peter replied: “It certainly appears to be against the Highway Code. It's not the way to test your eyesight, and put potentially other people in danger.”