Eyes on the Road focuses on sight and safety
A new campaign, Eyes on the Road, has been launched to encourage older drivers to prioritise eye health and improve road safety.
Led by Boots Opticians, Eyes on the Road has been introduced after new research highlighted how important driving is to maintaining independence in later life.
The research revealed that 98% of drivers aged over 70 believe driving is vital to maintaining their independence, with 63% agreeing that losing this independence would their biggest concern if they could no longer drive.
Meanwhile, 81% say they would be less able to visit family and friends and 66% say it would be more difficult to attend GP, dental or hospital appointments.
A further 28% say they would be frustrated about relying on others and feel less in control of day-to-day life.
In response, Boots Opticians has partnered with the AA Driving School to give away 100 hours of free refresher lessons, delivered as 50 packages of two-hour lessons.
Kyla Black, director of optical practice at Boots Opticians, said: “Good vision is central to feeling safe in all walks of life. Everyone should have an eye test every two years as per NHS advice, and these are particularly important above the age of 70.
“Visiting an opticians for a regular eye test is one of the simplest ways people can check their vision and get advice on their eye health. For a more comprehensive view of your eye health, Boots Opticians Ultimate Eye Test uses optomap technology which captures up to 82% of your retina in a single photograph, compared to only 15% in our regular eye test scan.”
Mark Born, head of training at AA Driving School, added: “Driving is incredibly important to maintaining independence, as this research makes very clear, and getting older does not automatically mean you need to hang up your keys just yet.
“We want people to be able to keep driving safely and confidently for as long as they are fit to do so. Regular eye tests are an important part of that, while refresher driving lessons can offer a separate opportunity to brush up on skills, build confidence and get comfortable with changes to roads and vehicles.”
