The five avoidable tragedies which have led to calls for driving licence changes

Millions of drivers on UK roads would fail to meet the minimum eyesight standards with a coroner calling on the government to make changes to the current system of issuing driving licences.

Mary Cunningham, Grace Foulds, Anne Ferguson and Peter Westwell were all killed by older drivers who had failing eyesight and had ignored warnings that their vision was not good enough to get behind the wheel of a car.

Mary and Grace died after they were hit by a white Audi being driven by Glyn Jones in Lulworth Road, Southport, on Tuesday November 30 in 2021. The two friends were returning from a shopping trip when Jones, who had repeatedly been warned his eyesight did not meet the required legal standard, slammed into them.

The following March, Peter Westwell, 80, was killed when 81-year-old Neil Pemberton smashed into him at 48mph in a 30mph area of Langho. Pemberton's vision was so bad he could "barely see beyond the end of his bonnet" and he had been told on 35 occasions his eyesight was not good enough to drive.

In July 2023, Anne Ferguson, 75, died at the side of the road after she was hit by a car being driven by Vernon Law just yards from her home in Whitworth. Law, 72, who had severe cataracts, had also been told his eyesight did not meet the required standard for driving. Anne's husband, who relied on her for his care needs, took his own life as a direct result of her death.

All three drivers later admitted causing death by dangerous driving and were jailed. Law and Jones remain in prison while Pemberton has since been released.

A nine-day inquest into the four deaths has been heard alongside a fifth concerning Sheila Edwards who died in March 2023 two months after she suffered serious injuries when she was the front seat passenger in a car being driven by her best friend Graham Davies.

Graham was diagnosed with dementia immediately after the crash in January 2023 in Clitheroe. He was not prosecuted due to his medical conditions.

The inquests have heard that UK provisional licence holders are never required to pass an eyesight test while those who obtain full driving licences can do so for a maximum of 53 years before having to self-report that their vision is sufficient.

When a motorist reaches the age of 70 they are required to reapply for their licence and make a declaration regarding any medical or eyesight conditions. Drivers are required to self-report any issues.

The UK is just one of three countries which relies on motorists self-reporting any medical or eyesight conditions while former roads policing officer Robert Heard, who was awarded an MBE for his work to improve road safety, said the UK has "one of the laxest systems in Europe".

At the conclusion of the five inquests, held today (Thursday April 17) at County Hall in Preston, Lancashire's Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley said that the evidence he has heard shows that the current system of self-certification "does not protect the lives of those on UK roads".

Failing to disclose a medical or eyesight condition to the DVLA is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £1,000, but the inquests have heard that the DVLA has not reported a single motorist for the offence.

Dr Adeley declared the current DVLA system as "ineffective, unsafe and unfit" and has called on the Secretary of State for Transport to take immediate action to prevent future deaths.

In each of the three collisions involving a driver with poor vision they had all been told by an optician that their eyesight did not meet the required legal standard. All three had continued to drive and all three failed a roadside eye test conducted by the police.

The coroner described their actions as "selfish, dishonest and wilful" but also raised concerns about the DVLA's current system. Evidence heard during the inquest indicated that there are 2.1 million driving licence-holders on the roads who do not meet the required legal eyesight standard.

The inquests heard that the National Police Chiefs Council "would fully support mandatory sight tests" while the College of Optometrists agreed that "the current system is insufficient" and that all drivers should undergo eye assessment before a licence is granted.

Bosses from the DVLA have given evidence to the inquests and admitted that they are considering introducing mandatory eye tests for older drivers. Andrew Cude, the DVLA's head of strategy and policy, said "it's certainly something that we're exploring as a department".

The coroner is now set to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths Regulation 28 Report to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, requiring a response within 56 days and added: "I consider it absolutely essential that I send a Regulation 28 to the Secretary of State to take action to safeguard the lives of people within the UK."

In his report, the coroner will say: "The current system for 'ensuring' drivers meet the visual legal standards is ineffective, unsafe and unfit to meet the needs of society as evidenced by the deaths of Mary Cunningham, Grace Foulds, and Ferguson and Peter Westwell where the DVLA continued to provide licences to drivers who had failed to meet the legal sight requirements.."

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