The analysis by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare also finds that just 16% of firms have an eyecare policy for all drivers while less than half (47%) of employers surveyed were confident that their employees could see adequately to drive, stating they did not worry that some of their drivers may not have good enough eyesight for driving.

Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said: “It is alarming that employers who are confident of their employees’ eyesight are in the minority. While many may wrongly assume that it is the individual’s responsibility alone to ensure their eyesight is adequate for driving, the HSE makes it quite clear that driving safety becomes a joint responsibility when driving for work purposes. With eye tests being so easily available and cost-effective, we would urge all employers to implement an eyecare policy for all drivers.”

He added: “Aside from the emotional cost of any collision, an accident is likely to be expensive for a business, in terms of uninsured losses such as sick pay, temporary cover, legal expenses, lost time, increased premiums, etc. When also considering the risk to the business’s reputation of not having ensured the employee had adequate eyesight, to apply a blanket eyecare policy seems like the obvious thing to do.”