Anne helps deliver road safety message for older and experienced drivers
Older and experienced drivers are being reminded how “general health and eyesight” can impact their driving.
Helping to deliver the message is Anne Flanagan, who had been driving for 50 years when she was told, during a routine eye examination, that she needed glasses for driving.
Anne said the news was a “complete surprise” as she had assumed her eyesight was fine.
However, she noticed a significant improvement in her vision when wearing glasses while driving.
Anne has now added her voice to the Department for Infrastructure’s Share the Road to Zero community engagement campaign, which aims to reduce road deaths by encouraging us to take more responsibility and care on the roads.
Anne said she was delighted to add her name to the campaign: “I’ve always been very aware of the personal responsibility I have when I get behind the wheel of my car and turn on the ignition.
“That personal responsibility came into sharp focus recently when I had an eye test and was told I needed glasses for driving - news that came as a complete surprise to me.
“Naively, I had assumed my eyesight for driving was just fine. Yet I can’t believe the improvement those glasses have made - my long-distance vision is now much sharper, and I’ve noticed a significant difference when driving in bad weather or very bright conditions; everything is so much clearer.
“We often hear about younger drivers, but each of us who gets behind the wheel, including older and experienced drivers, has a responsibility to make our roads safer.
“We all benefit from reminders to take extra care on the roads. However, as I, an older driver, have discovered, being a responsible road user also requires us to be conscious of how our general health and eyesight can impact our driving and to take whatever action is needed.
“If we do that, we will help keep ourselves and other road users safe.”
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said: “I want to thank Anne for highlighting important road safety messages by reminding us of steps we can take to be responsible road users.
“Sadly too many people are killed and seriously injured on our roads every year and more than 95% of road deaths are due to human error."