Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's strategy is on (a) improving road safety and (b) decreasing motorcycle accident rates relating to drivers' impaired vision.

The British Road Safety Statement sets out the Government’s commitment to improve road safety and reduce the number of people killed or injured on the roads every year.

All drivers and riders must be able to meet the required visual acuity and visual field standards, which includes being able to read a number plate from 20 metres. Drivers are also legally responsible for notifying the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) at any time of a change in their health or vision which may affect their ability to meet the appropriate standards.

The government fully supports the NHS’s recommendation that adults should have their eyes tested every two years. The DVLA has changed its driving licence application forms to highlight the importance of having regular eyesight tests. The photocard driving licence renewal letter the DVLA sends to drivers has also been amended to include this important message.