Renfrewshire has had one of the highest numbers of road accidents caused by poor eyesight in the UK over the last year.
The research by Feel Good Contacts analysed the Department For Transport’s number of reported road accidents and casualties in Great Britain in the last year by revealing the percentage of accidents caused by “uncorrected, defective eyesight” across the country.
Renfrewshire has ranked high in the table of areas that have been given a safety score out of ten.
This table shows the rank, local authority, region, percentage of accidents caused by poor eyesight, people living with sight loss per 10,000 people, road accidents per 10,000 people and registered vehicles per 10,000 people.
1 Isle of Anglesey, Wales, 4.88 per cent, 424, 7.1, 7110, 4.82
5 Reading,South East, 3.28 per cent, 241, 13.3, 4,732, 6.72,
4 Fife, Scotland, 2.41 per cent, 349, 6.5, 5,719, 6.7
3 Windsor and Maidenhead, South East, 2.27 per cent, 351, 9.3, 7,301, 6.34
6 Renfrewshire, Scotland, 1.72 per cent, 327, 6.7, 7,963, 6.81
7 Torfaen, Wales, 1.69 per cent, 349, 6.4, 6,083, 6.98
10 Caerphilly, Wales, 1.57 per cent, 322, 7.8 5,793, 7.17
8 East Lothian, Scotland, 1.54 per cent, 346, 7.6, 5,858, 7.03
2 Northumberland, North East, 1.49 per cent, 405, 12.5, 6,205, 6.31
9 Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 1.49 per cent, 329, 4.5, 7,318, 7.14
Sharon Copeland, an expert optician at Feel Good Contacts, said: “Poor eyesight and driving is one of the most dangerous combinations when it comes to road safety. It’s essential to take regular care of your vision if you drive, not just for your own safety, but for the safety of others.
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“The minimum legal standard is that drivers must be able to read a standard number plate licence from 20 metres away, which is approximately the length of five cars.”
“It’s important to not get complacent with your eyesight, particularly if you already have a prescription, as eyesight can gradually deteriorate; meaning a stronger prescription might be necessary. If you do happen to notice any changes to your vision, check in with your optician immediately.”
For more, go to https://www.feelgoodcontacts.com/driving-blind
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