Police have said some drivers may be unaware
Police have alerted everyone after the clocks went back on October 25(Image: Getty)
Motorists have been issued a reminder about Cassie’s Law, with police warning that extra checks will be carried out – and some drivers could face a fine, penalty points and potentially a driving ban.
Under legislation known as Cassie’s Law, drivers who fail a roadside number plate test could even have their licence revoked on the spot if a police officer deems them unsafe to be on the road.
The new message this week comes from Nottinghamshire Police, who say that the warning comes from its Roads Policing Unit ‘as the clocks go back and darker evenings set in’.
The clocks went back on Sunday, October 25, meaning it gets darker earlier in the day. According to timeanddate, the sun sets at around 4.43pm today (October 27) in Wales, with similar times across other UK cities. By the start of November, much of the UK is expected to see sunset around 4.30pm.
‘Additional roadside checks’
In the coming weeks, officers will be carrying out additional roadside checks to make sure drivers’ eyesight is good enough to drive, mainly by asking them to read a number plate from 20 metres away. As part of a national road safety campaign, drivers involved in a crash or stopped for any reason can expect an eyesight test.
The Police force add: “Those who fail face prosecution for driving with uncorrected defective eyesight and can face a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification from driving.” Results will also be fed into a national eyesight survey by the Older Drivers Forum.
What are the legal eyesight requirements for driving in the UK?
The law requires that all drivers be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres – this is around five car lengths. Drivers must have a visual acuity of 6/12, measured on the Snellen eye chart scale used by opticians – you can wear prescription eyewear if needed.
Motorists must also have an adequate field of vision. Additional standards apply to lorry and bus drivers.
What is Cassie’s Law?
Nottinghamshire Police explains that officers can request an urgent revocation of a licence through the DVLA if they believe the safety of other road users will be put at risk if a driver remains on the road.
Introduced in 2013 under Cassie’s Law – named after 16-year-old Cassie McCord – it followed her death after an 87-year-old driver lost control of his car in Colchester, Essex. It later emerged he had failed a police eyesight test days earlier, but a legal loophole meant he was still allowed to keep driving.
Some drivers may not know
Detective Inspector Jamie Moore, head of roads policing at Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Most drivers know that excess speed, worn tyres or mobile phone use can result in a fine or penalty points, but they are perhaps less likely to realise that driving with defective eyesight is punishable with a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification.
“That’s because poor vision significantly increases your chances of being involved in a road traffic collision. Ninety per cent of the information we use as drivers is visual, so even a small deterioration in our vision can significantly increase our chances of being involved in a collision.
“Real-world examples include drivers who have forgotten their glasses, or people who have not had an eyesight test for several years and are perhaps unaware of the level of deterioration in their vision.
“Sadly, there will also be people out there who know their eyesight is too poor for them to be on the road and who are knowingly putting lives at risk. But whatever the reason, it is our responsibility as drivers to ensure that our vision is roadworthy, and that we are wearing appropriate eyewear to meet the required standards on the roads.”
