Motorists aged 70 and above may be required to undergo compulsory vision checks under new government proposals.
The proposal comes after an inquest into four deaths caused by drivers with failing eyesight, which prompted a coroner to brand Britain's licensing framework the "laxest in Europe". The changes are expected to feature in a new road safety strategy due for publication by the government this autumn.
A government source shared: "In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying [on the roads each year], with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2bn per year."
They continued: "This Labour government will deliver the first Road Safety Strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads."
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch backed the proposals, stating: "I think we need to make sure that people driving on our roads and using our streets are safe."
That said, poor vision is only recorded as a contributing element in fewer than one per cent of reported collisions, whilst driver exhaustion accounts for roughly 20% of road accidents.
Sleep specialists have cautioned that operating a vehicle whilst fatigued could pose greater risks to motorists than alcohol or narcotics. Representatives for MattressNextDay sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to reveal the number of motorists who have had their licences revoked due to sleep-related conditions, as well as the regions with the highest numbers of drivers with a sleep-related condition, reports Birmingham Live.
Their findings revealed that since 2020, 1,816 drivers in the UK have had their licences revoked for sleep-related conditions. Additionally, a total of 171,870 drivers in the UK have reported sleep-related medical conditions to the DVLA, marking a 15.7% increase compared to 2018's figure of 148,575.
The Shetland Isles top the list for the most sleep-impaired drivers per 10k people (103.1), followed by Shropshire (99.21) and East Riding of Yorkshire (95.40).
On the other end of the scale, the West Midlands has the fewest number of sleep-impaired drivers per 10k people at 16.67, followed by Greater London (18.30) and Inverclyde (20.06).
Narcolepsy is particularly dangerous if a driver experiences an episode while driving. This is a disruptive sleep disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness.
While having narcolepsy does not necessarily prevent someone from driving, they do need to inform the DVLA about their condition. People with excessive sleepiness, a separate condition, must also alert the DVLA as it can be hazardous when driving. This condition often results in difficulty concentrating but can usually be managed with lifestyle changes.
