Driver passed breath test
A motorist who was reported to police for erratic driving on the M3 passed a breath test when finally stopped – but then lost his licence after failing a roadside eyesight test. The 59-year-old driver was reported by a member of the public concerned by his driving on the busy motorway through Surrey, and was intercepted by a Surrey Police Road Policing Unit that was diverted from another task. When officers stopped the Astra, they gave the driver a breath test, which he successfully passed, but he then failed his eyesight test.
It was later discovered that he had not had an eye test in more than 15 years. Surrey Police said that he was reported to the DVLA for driving without due care and failing a roadside eyesight test, and he had his licence immediately revoked. According to gov.uk, motorists must wear glasses or contact lenses every time they drive if they need them to meet the “standards of vision for driving”.
They must also inform the DVLA if they have any problem with their eyesight that affects both eyes or the remaining eye if they have only one eye.
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According to the website the standards of vision for driving are:
- You must be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres.
- You must also meet the minimum eyesight standard for driving by having a visual acuity of at least decimal 0.5 (6/12) measured on the Snellen scale (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) using both eyes together or, if you have sight in one eye only, in that eye.
- You must also have an adequate field of vision – your optician can tell you about this and do a test.
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