Coroner calls for mandatory eye tests for UK drivers over 70 after four fatalities

A senior UK coroner has called for urgent reforms to the country's driver licensing system after four people were killed by motorists with significantly impaired vision. Dr. James Adeley, the senior coroner for Lancashire, described the UK's reliance on self-reporting of eyesight conditions as the 'laxest in Europe' and highlighted that the UK is the only European country issuing licenses without mandatory vision checks up to the age of 70. The inquest revealed that all four fatal incidents involved drivers who knowingly failed to meet legal eyesight standards but continued to drive, sometimes ignoring medical advice and lying to authorities. Dr. Adeley has sent a report to the Transport Secretary urging compulsory eyesight tests for older drivers, echoing calls from optometrists and industry groups for more frequent vision checks, especially for those over 70. The Association of Optometrists estimates that one in ten British motorists may have sub-standard vision, underscoring the potential scale of the problem. The coroner’s findings have intensified debate over whether the UK’s licensing practices adequately protect public safety.