Visual impairments
Good vision is essential for driving a motor vehicle. Any visual impairment can affect a person?s ability to drive safely. Any person driving with a visual impairment will be legally required to notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles as soon as practicable. A visual impairment may be caused by:
- Eye diseases (cataracts, glaucoma, infections)
- Loss of vision in one eye
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Brain injuries
- Inability to rotate your neck
How do these conditions affect driving ability?
- Possibility of failing to detect another vehicle, pedestrian or object
- Reaction time will reduce if hazard is detected later than it should have been
- Peripheral vision is reduced, creating difficulty to merge into traffic
What are the symptoms?
- Cloudy/fuzzy vision
- Vision impaired by 'dark spots'
- Unable to see long distances/signs
What precautions can I take?
- Always wear visual aids while driving if required
- Ensure prescribed treatments are taken as required
- Install extra mirrors on your vehicle if needed, to improve peripheral vision
- Do not drive at night if you have difficulty seeing