Drivers leaving their face masks on while in the car could be facing a serious fine.
That's because experts are warning motorists that if their face covering impairs their vision or distracts them when behind the wheel they could face consequences, Birmingham Live reports.
Foggy glasses are one of the biggest frustrations when wearing a face covering, however for many people, this hasn’t stopped them from wearing one when in the driving seat and is now compulsory to the job for many taxi and bus drivers.
And it's not just people with glasses that are at risk.
The warning follows the news that an estimated four million eye tests have been missed over the last four months of lockdown.
And, with millions of people now back at work, it could potentially add thousands of drivers to the UK’s roads now driving without the correct prescription.
In addition to impairing vision, which if it causes a driver to be stopped by a police officer, could result in a fine of £1,000, concerns also relate to how face coverings can detract attention from the road; rearranging the mask, taking if off and removing it or even cleaning your glasses while on the move.
Contact lens retailer Feel Good Contacts spokesperson Nimesh Shah said: “Face coverings are an absolute necessity to the way we live our lives given the ongoing global pandemic but it’s also also crucial that they don’t interfere with our lives to the extent where they could be putting drivers, passengers and other road users at risk on the nation’s roads.
"Since lockdown came into force at the end of March we have received hundreds of enquiries relating to the fogginess of glasses due to face coverings, with many even deciding to make the switch to lenses as a result.
UK motoring expert Ranjen Gohri, of breakdown firm 24/7 Vehicle Rescue, added: “Long-established research has shown that the human ability to multi-task declines with age, but it’s important to stress that older drivers are not ‘worse’ drivers than younger people.
“However, it does point to them suffering a reduction in their ability to perform two unexpected tasks at the same time and to switch easily between tasks.
“It also reinforces the message that any distractions while driving can be seriously detrimental to concentration and performance.”
