Mandatory Driver Eye Tests Will Reduce Close Passes, Says Cycling Cop
Feb. 1, 2019, 4:48 p.m.
by pstuart
on
Cyclist
Laura Laker 1 Feb 2019 One in 20 drivers pulled over for cyclist close passes fail basic eye test, and mandatory testing could reduce danger from older drivers Cycling police officers have called for mandatory driver eye testing every five years after one in 20 people pulled over in an operation targeting drivers who overtake cyclists too close failed roadside eye tests. Those who failed the test were mainly over the age of 60. West Midlands Police officers Mark Hodson and Steve Hudson pioneered close pass cycling operations, where plain clothed officers on bikes are used to detect poor overtaking. Hodson says with most Birmingham drivers now aware of the operation, they are increasingly stopping drivers who either don’t see the officers on bikes, or are drunk or on drugs. Hodson wants families to report unfit drivers before they crash, putting cyclists and pedestrians particularly at risk. Many drivers the ...
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