Nick Johns Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 (edited) More regs, eyesight test for truck drivers, will also include car drivers every 10 years http://www.pickuptrucksdirect.co.uk/automotive-pickup-truck-news/free-driver-eyesight-regulations-available.html Edited February 6, 2010 by Nick Johns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 About time! They should introduce refresher driver training every 5 years too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 More damn regs, Sensible regs.... if you can't see correctly you shouldn't be on the road... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Sensible regs.... if you can't see correctly you shouldn't be on the road... Quite. The current situation where the onus is on you to declare yourself unfit is somewhat open to abuse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 One my work colleagues was killed about 5 years ago when his micra was utterly flattened by an HGV driver who "didn't see him" claimed an eyesight problem in court that he'd suffered for years (never mentioned it to his employers... then claimed a narcolepsy type illness too...). Not that he'd have probably admitted it at a medical but you never know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA61 Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 About time! They should introduce refresher driver training every 5 years too. They are doing .The new driver CPC for PCV and LGV drivers is on going driver training 35 hrs must be completed every five years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 They are doing .The new driver CPC for PCV and LGV drivers is on going driver training 35 hrs must be completed every five years. That will be classroom based theory. I mean for car drivers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 One my work colleagues was killed about 5 years ago when his micra was utterly flattened by an HGV driver who "didn't see him" claimed an eyesight problem in court that he'd suffered for years (never mentioned it to his employers... then claimed a narcolepsy type illness too...). Not that he'd have probably admitted it at a medical but you never know That shoould have been picked up!! Even now eyesight test are compulosry in the medical. Number One son just passed his car test, and they did the number plate across the car park test! The daft thing I know someone who was registered blind, he had no peripheral vison, yet could pass that test. There is a code 115 on a licence which means ' must have corrective lenes when driving'. I know because it is on mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Tony B and they did the number plate across the car park test! It’s not clear in the quoted site whether this eyesight test is compulsory for all drivers from the outset. Like much legislation in the past twenty years at best half baked with good intention at worst a poorly disguised intent to give interest groups a financial boost. If a provisional licensed car driver had to produce a eye test certificate or prescription at the time of the test or do a card test as in the DMV in the U.S.A, all well and good but if it applies only to commercial drivers plus car drivers who ticked the corrective lens box then it will fail to deal with the problem. A few years ago it was found that at least 5% of 16 year olds (ie school leavers) were clinically mon optic, which "the number plate across the car park test" does not pick up. More importantly current optician eye test fail to address lack of acuity, 30 years ago my local police force had a young probationer who had a eye test rating of 20/15 (better than standard) but his ability to observe was abysmal, good eyesight yes –sharp eyed not a hope. With regard to re-tests and improving the quality of driving in general, it would be more prudent to restrict new drivers in particular to vehicles of a defined power weight ratio rather than leave it to control by the insurance industry. Further a new classification for four wheel drive qualification is certainly needed, especially after seeing the lack of ability of drivers of Chelsea tractors in the recent poor weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeileen Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 you dont need poor weather to see some crappy driving in a chelsea tractor!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 (edited) you dont need poor weather to see some crappy driving in a chelsea tractor!! Having and using a vehicle in 4WD drive won't stop you sliding on ice. Plenty of people in two wheel drive cars drove stupidly in the recent weather. I lost count of the times that I saw drivers racing up to junctions and not being able to stop. Good old fashioned genetics can give some indication about eyesight do you're parents wear glasses if so when did they start wearing them Edited February 7, 2010 by ferrettkitt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 The first thing that ought to be hammered into chelsea Tractor owners is 'Four wheel drive can get you into twice the problems of two wheel drive'. that and Anti Lock Brakes stop you skidding! :pfrt: The one acident I nearly had last month was when the ********* ABS decided to unlock the brakes and let the bus roll! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 You can have all the legislation you want - sensible or otherwise - but it won't stop the apparently ever increasing crop of totally unlicensed drivers out on the road or those with licenses issued outside of the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julezee001 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Driving on the roads is statistically far safer now than it has ever been. There will always be horror stories of crashes, for an almost limitless number of reasons, because we're human! You can test all the eyes you like, and issue the licences accordingly: requires corrective lenses, etc., but it won't stop people having accidents. People forget glasses, others with perfect eyesight drive with screens which give the impression of a foggy day when you try to peek out. Some people are naturally good at sport, driving, writing, sewing, shooting, some aren't? Some are naturally cautious, some totally wreckless? Statistics show that as people gain experience on the road , for the large majority, their driving improves, so why burden them with extra expense and hassle when they really aren't the problem. Life is dangerous! Jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Sorry Jules, there's nothing natural about driving a motor vehicle. Constant thought and concentration, and awareness of the damage you can cause, are the rquirments of good driving. If that sounds like a 'company' line, for all I bitch about them, yes, it IS a constant company and driver line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 I'm all for freedom from legislation for personal activity when you've only got yourself to hurt. Unfortunately bad driving, and I include lack of skills, concentration and ability to see in this, kill thousands a year. Frankly, if Johnny Scrote wipes himself out in his hot hatch by driving like a tw*t, I couldn't care less but he usually takes others with him. It could be my daughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julezee001 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Sorry Jules, there's nothing natural about driving a motor vehicle. Constant thought and concentration, and awareness of the damage you can cause, are the rquirments of good driving. If that sounds like a 'company' line, for all I bitch about them, yes, it IS a constant company and driver line. Maybe I didn't explain myself clearly? Some people are naturally good at things? Maybe that means that they do have good concentration, and awareness, or other attributes important for driving? Other people don't, we are all different. The fact that some people pass their driving test first time, and others take 2, 5, or 30 before they pass, clearly demonstrates this. Passing the test gives people access to the roads having shown their basic understanding of what it takes to drive safely on the road, and their own ability to conform to the required standards. Clearly those who read this thread are all excellent drivers, passed all their driving tests first time, and have never had a near miss, or god forbid an accident which was their fault. The facts are that as people grow older, the vast majority become safer drivers through experience, and the natural chemical change in most peoples physiology, makes them more cautious too. I don't believe for one moment that all the extra requirements for HGV drivers to train for 30 hours every 5 years will make the roads safer once they all have their bit of paper? Will it prevent that moments inattention? No. If you don't know how to drive your vehicle safely loaded, unloaded, in all weather conditions after 5 years, should you be doing the job at all?? Going back to the thread, I don't understand the need for the introduction of eye tests for truck drivers? Is there a terrible problem with accidents caused by blind truckers? Do I need someone to tell me that I can't see well enough to drive, before I consult an optician? If my living depended on it and I thought my sight was impaired, would I need legislation forcing me to have an eye test make any difference? Jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 (edited) Going back to the thread, I don't understand the need for the introduction of eye tests for truck drivers? Is there a terrible problem with accidents caused by blind truckers? Do I need someone to tell me that I can't see well enough to drive, before I consult an optician? If my living depended on it and I thought my sight was impaired, would I need legislation forcing me to have an eye test make any difference? Jules See post 5.... good enough reason for you? One my work colleagues was killed about 5 years ago when his micra was utterly flattened by an HGV driver who "didn't see him" claimed an eyesight problem in court that he'd suffered for years (never mentioned it to his employers... then claimed a narcolepsy type illness too...). Not that he'd have probably admitted it at a medical but you never know I've just started wearing glasses for reading for the first time, until I had my eyes tested I didn't realise how much my eyesight had deteriorated. Uncorrected vision causes tiredness & can affect your concentration... it's not just about seeing what's in front of you... According to a number of surveys conducted over the last few years, the UK's drivers are not keeping up to speed with changes in their eyesight. It's reported that a third of drivers have such bad eyesight that they could be putting themselves and other road users in danger. It's thought that a staggering 13 million drivers are not having their eyes tested often enough and so if there are any changes to their vision - resulting in them being unable to read road signs properly, then they won't be aware of them. In a 2004 survey carried out by Warwick University on people who did not wear glasses, one in every three people who failed a basic eye chart test were drivers - and worse still, 33% of the overall sample who failed to read the charts successfully, said that they had suspected that they were not able to see to the necessary standard, but had done nothing about it. The Royal National Institute for the Blind recommend that everyone has an eye test every 2 years, as the tests can detect a number of eye-related illnesses as well as making sure that your vision is well maintained. Far from just checking your eyesight, regular eye tests can detect serious conditions like diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the main cause of loss of sight in older people. Many eye conditions can affect driving performance, for example cataracts are guilty of increasing glare from bright lights at night. Opticians can advise how to deal with this and other health related issues that may arise from an eye-test. Drivers who need contact lenses or glasses to correct their vision must always wear them when driving. Driving with uncorrected defective vision is an offence and there is a potential fine of £1,000 for those caught out. Added to that is the threat of 3 penalty points and possible disqualification for those found breaking the law. Edited February 10, 2010 by Marmite!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Going back to the thread, I don't understand the need for the introduction of eye tests for truck drivers? Is there a terrible problem with accidents caused by blind truckers? Do I need someone to tell me that I can't see well enough to drive, before I consult an optician? If my living depended on it and I thought my sight was impaired, would I need legislation forcing me to have an eye test make any difference? Jules An HGV requires a medical at initial, again at aged 45, then at 5 year intervals till 65, then every year. This is the validity period of the licence and reissue requires a medical. Eyesight tests have always been part of the medical and they are a proper test, not just a 'can you read that number plate'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 The human brain is very good at compensating for poor eyesight. It does so anyway. an optician once said to me only those who wear glasses understand good eyesight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Elsdon Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 (edited) Further a new classification for four wheel drive qualification is certainly needed, especially after seeing the lack of ability of drivers of Chelsea tractors in the recent poor weather. Bad driving occurs in or on any type of vehicle regardless of how the transmission puts the drive onto the road. I drive a "Chelsea Tractor" a big long wheel base, heavy on the juice 3.2 Turbo Diesel 2001 Mitsubishi Shogun, however it doesnt go anywhere near Chelsea, it does pull very large and heavy trailers with ease, in and out of fields and on the road, in the recent adverse weather conditions it has driven through deep flood water and some of the worst snow conditions for years, and that is "Scottish" rural snow conditions, not the dusting seen in news reports from down south. The difference is it wears some proper All Terrain tyres, instead of massive bling alloys with Pirelli elastic bands. My Chelsea tractor carries all of our animal feed the dogs, the kids and other kit wherever we need to go, up here 4x4's are an essential tool. So next time you see a badly driven "Chelsea Tractor" think about the badly driven Taxi, the Scooter and the Cycle courier that previously cut you up, and then think for every "Chelsea" based tractor, there are thousands of other 4x4 drivers who use the vehicles for the purpose they were designed. So any new legislation aimed at 4x4's would be poorly misjudged, especially just to get back at a few idiots in Chelsea, we have enough rules, regulation and laws foisted upon us without requiring more restrictions. Where would they stop? Chelsea tractors? i think not, it will be everything, Land Rovers, Jeeps, Champs, Pinzgauers, Ferrets do i need to go on? Be very careful about which personal liberties you are throwing away. Getting back to the thread, if you cant see to a decent standard, you shouldnt be driving, so testing is the only way to go for properly assessing drivers eyesight. Edited February 10, 2010 by Adam Elsdon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeileen Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 As Adam points out some of us are serious 4x4 drivers, I have a Pajero fitted with all terrain(goodrich) tyres and it goes anywhere. then again im/ was a professional driver:cool2: and dont have any problems. Wife loves it when it drives into a ditch it will drive itself out!!:wow: How many people would be affected if ALL 4x4 drivers were subject to another licence? For the moment i have a class 1 and other licences, but the wife only drives it on a car licence. It would just be another way of the government screwing money out of Britons! Hang on a minute what am i ranting on for here!!! I LIVE IN FRANCE:-D:-D:-D Christian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julezee001 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 See post 5.... good enough reason for you? I've just started wearing glasses for reading for the first time, until I had my eyes tested I didn't realise how much my eyesight had deteriorated. Uncorrected vision causes tiredness & can affect your concentration... it's not just about seeing what's in front of you... Why did you get your eyes tested? Do you need your glasses for driving? What are the statisics for accidents caused by bad eyesight? Legislate all you like, people will still die and be injured on the roads. It's sad but true. The UK is one of the safest countries to drive despite the high overall density of traffic, and miles travelled. The rules are already there regarding eyesight, drink, medicated drugs, recreational drugs, M.O.T. tests, driving tests, insurance etc etc. People die every day, both young and old often not through any fault of their own (not just on the road), again sadly that's life. You can try to prevent each and every one through extra rules and regulations, but eventually you will encounter the fact of diminishing returns, and realise there are limits for all sorts of reasons, that prevent the saving of everyone! Jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Nobody is suggesting trying to legislate accidents away. This thread is about eyesight tests. Unfortunately, it is a fact that eyesight deterioration is an insidious thing and people will continue to drive, often without realising they have lost some visual accuity. It's also unfortunate that despite your claims, these people often continue to drive knowing they can't see sh*t. Self declaration is not working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I think it boils down to people getting it in their heads that driving is a right and not a privelidge in so much that they will keep on driving if they can't see, can't afford insurance, car fails its MOT or whatever. How often do you see on those late night police programmes with people who repeatedly drive after being banned! As Adrian said people don't self regulate because they fear the consequences of being stopped driving. The HGV driver who killed my mate from work apparently broke down under questioning and said he'd suffered from poor eyesight and a sleep disorder for years but had hidden it for fear of losing his job... instead of which he killed someone as a result of refusing to admit he was unfit to drive. It dragged the court case out for months and put my mates girlfriend and family through hell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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