You could be fined £1,000 and have your licence revoked for having poor eyesight
UK DRIVERS could be hit with hefty fines for not being able to see well enough behind the wheel.
And thousands of Brits could be unknowingly breaking the law by refusing to get their eyes tested.
Recent figures obtained by insurer Direct Line revealed around 7,000 motorists have their driving licence revoked every year due to poor eyesight.
Worryingly, this equates to 134 people each week who have their licence ripped up due to vision problems.
Every driver is required to meet the minimum standards of vision for driving, which includes being able to read a number plate from 20 metres away.
Motorists are allowed to use glasses or contact lenses if necessary to meet these standards, but they are then legally required to use the same aids at all times while driving.
Police are able to conduct a roadside eye test if they suspect poor vision is impacting your driving.
And if you fail, you could be hit with a £1,000 fine and run the risk of prosecution.
It can even invalidate your insurance if you're in an accident.
Not wearing your glasses could also see you charged with dangerous driving, which carries an unlimited fine, a road ban and a prison sentence in some extreme cases where someone has been injured or killed.
One in five drivers haven't had their eyes tested in the past two years, according to a survey by the insurer, while three per cent have never had their vision examined.
The poll also revealed that Brighton motorists are least likely to visit the optician, with a third failing to have an eye test in the past two years.
Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said: "If people do not have regular eye tests, they may not even realise their vision is impaired when they get behind the wheel, which leaves them a danger to themselves and other road users.
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"A simple eye test, that takes a moment in time, can ensure drivers have the appropriate corrective glasses or contact lenses so that their vision is adequate to drive."
Dr Nigel Best, clinical spokesperson for Specsavers said: "Our vision can deteriorate slowly, meaning it is sometimes difficult to detect a change ourselves but subtle variations can increasingly affect both perception and reaction time when driving.
"We welcome this research and hope it will make more road users aware of the risks they run by not having regular eye tests, whether it is potentially losing your driving license or worse, causing a collision on the road."