Required Vision Testing for Older Drivers

Abstract

Although fatal crashes primarily involve younger drivers, fatal-crash rates per million miles driven increase substantially for drivers 65 years of age or older.¹ Visual acuity also decreases markedly after the age of 65,² and this decrease is associated with an increased risk of a motor-vehicle crash.³ In theory, required vision testing at the time of license renewal should remove older drivers with uncorrectable vision impairments from the road and thus reduce the number of fatal crashes.