MILLIONS of British drivers could be risking lives on the road due to dangerously outdated vision checks, a coroner has warned.
The alert comes after an inquest into the deaths of four people killed by motorists with severely impaired eyesight.
Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, slammed the current system, calling it “ineffective, unsafe and unfit for purpose”;, The Times reported.
He said Britain’s licensing rules are among the most relaxed in , with drivers only needing to self-report vision problems.
No proper tests are required until the age of 70.
The tragic cases included Mary Cunningham, 79, Grace Foulds, 85, Anne Ferguson, 75, and Peter Westwell, 80.
All were killed by drivers who should never have been behind the wheel.
In Southport, , Cunningham and Foulds were hit by an A3 driven by Glyn Jones, 68.
Despite being diagnosed with severe disease and warned repeatedly by doctors, Jones ignored advice to stop driving.
In Whitworth, near Rochdale, Anne Ferguson was struck by van driver Vernon Law, 72, just a month after being told he had cataracts so severe they shocked even experienced optometrists.
Meanwhile, Peter Westwell was killed crossing the road in Langho, near Blackburn, after being hit by Neil Pemberton.
Pemberton had such poor eyesight he couldn’t even read his speedometer, yet continued driving regardless.
All three either lied or deliberately hid their conditions when applying for their licences.
The , the coroner said, failed to act when drivers ignored medical warnings, allowing them to stay on the road without punishment.
Dr Adeley’s scathing report warned that more deaths are inevitable unless urgent action is taken.
He revealed that an estimated 2.1 million drivers in the UK are driving with vision below the legal standard, a number set to rise with the country’s population.
The only mandatory eyesight test drivers face is reading a number plate from 20 metres during their driving test.
Shockingly, this rule has not been updated since the 1930s.
A survey by the Association of Optometrists found that 29 per cent of drivers would keep driving even if their vision deteriorated.
Experts say this highlights the desperate need for proper, regular eye checks.
Terry Wilcox, a lawyer representing some of the victims’ families, said: “People ignore advice when it doesn’t suit their lifestyle, and right now there’s nothing to stop selfish drivers putting others at risk.”
Eye health experts have also blasted the current number plate test as “completely outdated” and called for a full overhaul of the law.
Adam Sampson, chief executive of the Association of Optometrists, said: “The number plate test is not enough.
All drivers should have regular, professional eyesight checks. It’s a simple step that could save lives.”
The Department for said it would consider the coroner’s report carefully.
A spokesperson added: “We are committed to improving road safety and continue to explore ways to achieve this.”
