Drivers who kill because they cant see: A family's plea for change
Families campaign for change to reduce deaths caused by unfit drivers
Last updated 13th Dec 2025
Families affected by fatal collisions involving drivers with eyesight below the legal standard are calling for mandatory eye tests to be introduced in the UK to prevent future tragedies.
Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, were killed in 2021 while crossing the road in Southport by a driver whose vision was so poor he could not see his car’s steering wheel. Glyn Jones, 65, had been warned nine times over a decade by medical professionals that he did not meet the legal standard for driving but ignored the advice.
Jones was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison for causing the deaths of Marie and Grace.
Gaps in the system
We can exclusively reveal through an Freedom of Information request that between 1 January 2020 and 21 October 2025, a total number of 47,180 GB licence holders had their driving entitlement revoked, for failing to meet the required vision standards to drive.
Marie’s family, led by her sons Steve and Terry Cunningham, are campaigning to stop further deaths by addressing flaws in the UK’s self-reporting system for visual conditions.
Currently, drivers are required to pass an eyesight test to read a registration plate at a distance of 20m during their driving test. After this, eyesight is only self-reported when renewing a licence at age 70 and every three years thereafter, leaving decades without checks.
Steve Cunningham said:
“There is a fundamental flaw in the system. You take a driving test, but afterwards no one ensures your eyesight is good enough to drive unless you report it yourself.
“We’re not asking for the entire system to be overhauled, but this gap needs addressing. If a medical expert says your eyesight isn’t good enough to drive, that should be recorded and escalated to the DVLA.”
Landmark inquest
A coroner in Preston recently reviewed four similar cases, including the deaths of Marie Cunningham and Grace Foulds, and issued warnings about the UK’s “lax” self-reporting system.
Dr James Adeley described instances where drivers who caused fatalities were known to have eyesight well below legal standards.
One case involved an 81-year-old man who could only read a registration plate at a distance of 8ft, far below the required 66ft. Another concerned a driver with extreme cataracts who caused a collision a month after being informed by an optometrist that his vision required urgent surgery.
Dr Adeley called on the Department for Transport to take action to prevent further deaths.
Calls for change
The Cunningham family’s campaign has been backed by Rob Heard MBE, a former police officer and road safety expert who works with forces nationwide, and the Association of Optometrists (AOP).
AOP spokesperson Adam Sampson highlighted that nearly seven in ten UK adults support the introduction of mandatory eye tests for drivers.
"You take your car to get the car MOT'd on a regular basis and you have to show the authorities that your car is fit to drive. You don't have to prove to the authorities that the driver is fit to drive and that's a ridiculous state of affairs.
"Over half the members are seeing people on a reasonably regular basis who they say you are not fit to drive and they believe when those individuals walk out of their surgery that those drivers are still going to get behind the wheel of the car."
Government statement
The Department for Transport has acknowledged growing calls for reform, stating:
“It’s vital we balance people’s freedom to drive with public safety, which is why there are already strict checks and conditions on older drivers.
“By law, drivers must declare they are fit to drive and inform the DVLA of any medical condition affecting their ability to do so.
“We are actively reviewing these conditions as part of the forthcoming Road Safety Strategy to ensure they are relevant for our ageing population.”
Family hope for change
The Cunningham family continues to push for mandatory tests and a system where warnings from opticians are automatically shared with the DVLA, ensuring drivers with poor eyesight cannot ignore advice.
Steve Cunningham said:
“We can’t have people on the roads with poor eyesight who think they’re fit to drive. The government already ensures cars are tested for safety; the same prudence must apply to drivers’ eyesight.”
Behind the Headlines special
You can hear more on this story in a special episode of Behind the Headlines.