Drivers risk instant licence ban over simple mistake

Motorists are being warned about a simple error that could result in their licence being instantly revoked by the police. The DVLA, as part of its driving licence regulations, expects drivers to notify them if certain circumstances change.

However, it's not just changes in address, name or gender that need to be reported to the government body. Anyone with a medical condition or disability, particularly those affecting sight or field of vision such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, or double vision, must inform the DVLA as soon as possible.

Owen, a Roads Policing Sergeant who co-runs the George's Car Media TikTok account, took to the platform to issue a specific warning to drivers who wear glasses, contact lenses, or who are ageing.

He stated: "Urgent warning to everyone with a driving licence. If you're a driver in the UK you need to know this.

"If you're a glasses wearer, if you wear contact lenses or any sort of corrected vision, or if you don't, you still need to be able to read that number plate from 20 meters away."

The officer then demonstrates how far 20 meters is using a white tape measure.

He added: "That is 20 meters, you don't necessarily need a tape. You can just do big steps and you can measure out roughly 20 meters.

"If you do wear corrected vision you need to get that tested regularly by the optician.

"Also if you're getting older like me your eye site will deteriorate, so you need to go and get it checked by the optician because you won't generally notice it deteriorating because it does it so slowly.

"If you are involved in a collision or we stop you by the roadside and we think there is possibly a problem with your eye sight, we can do an eye sight test with you by the side of the road.

"If you fail that, then under Cassie's Law we can contact DVLA there and then by the roadside and we can get you licence revoked there and then."

Cassie McCord, 16, was tragically killed in 2011 by elderly driver Colin Horsfall when he mounted the kerb as she walked to college in Colchester, Essex.

It subsequently came to light that he had failed a police vision test days before, but a legal loophole had permitted him to keep driving.

Cassie's mother, Jackie Rason, fought for legislative change, now called Cassie's law, which enabled the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to withdraw licences more swiftly.

Following the law's implementation, hundreds of licences have been withdrawn.

Owen added: "So it's really, really important that you get your eyes checked regularly.

"Nobody wants to be driving when you can't see properly, nobody wants other people driving when they can't see properly."