Short or long-sighted drivers are being warned not could face fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points for driving without their prescription glasses. According to the DVLA, drivers must be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres, with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary).
Now a fresh warning has been issued to drivers. as well as a potential fine or penalty points, motorists may even be at risk of invalidating their car insurance policy if they require prescription glasses and are not wearing them at the time of an incident which is later deemed their fault.
According to the DVLA, drivers "must wear glasses or contact lenses every time they drive if they need them to meet the 'standards of vision for driving'”, the Express reports. You must also tell DVLA if you’ve got any problem with your eyesight that affects both of your eyes, or the remaining eye if you only have one eye.
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You must be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after September 1, 2001, from 20 metres. You must also have an adequate field of vision - your optician can tell you about this and do a test.
At the start of your practical driving test you have to correctly read a number plate on a parked vehicle. If you cannot, you’ll fail your driving test and the test will not continue. DVLA will be told and your licence will be revoked.
When you reapply for your driving licence, DVLA will ask you to have an eyesight test with DVSA. This will be at a driving test centre. If you’re successful, you’ll still have to pass the DVSA standard eyesight test at your next practical driving test.
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