Drivers who need glasses to drive should keep a spare pair in their car, experts have warned. In the UK, 60% of drivers need prescription glasses to drive, according to the College of Optometrists, yet a quarter of this group (24%) admit they do not always wear them while at the wheel.
This is despite 95% of sensory input to the brain for driving coming from the eyes. Using prescription glasses or contact lenses makes driving safer by giving drivers the best possible vision, while also reducing fatigue and glare caused by bright daylight, street lighting, and oncoming vehicles’ headlights.
Lee Puffett, managing director of breakdown company Start Rescue, said: “It is essential drivers can read road signs and judge where they are going, especially if they need to guide their car to safety in the event of a breakdown. Even if you wear glasses or lenses all the time, we urge drivers to keep a spare pair in the car in case their usual ones are damaged or lost.”
Poor weather and nighttime darkness can leave broken-down drivers particularly vulnerable to others not wearing prescription glasses when they should. According to research by the College of Optometrists, 42% of drivers also say they find it challenging when driving at night or bad weather.
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, a clinical adviser at the College of Optometrists and a practising optometrist, said: “If you don’t need your glasses all the time, but have been advised to wear them driving, keep a pair in the glove compartment of your car. That way you always have them when you really do need them.”
Lee Puffett added: “It’s also important to keep your glasses clean, as well as the car’s windscreen, to minimise glare and to see clearly. A spare pair of glasses in the car can be a lifesaver and it’s the law in many European countries, such as France and Spain, so it’s vital if you are heading on holiday to the Continent.”