Eye Care to be Rewarded by Van Insurers

Worryingly it seems up to a third of us are driving around without being able to see clearly! Interestingly we’re not talking about the elderly, who frequently get the blame for accidents, usually with a throw-away comment about the condition of their eyes! Rather it’s a cross section of individuals who are coming up short when it comes to their eyesight.

When it comes to van drivers the cause for concern is that bit more due to the fact that they do a lot more driving, covering a lot more mileage than the average car driver. With that in mind the likelihood of an accident is greatly increased if you couple their devotion to the road with lack lustre vision. This revealing study adds credence to the beliefs held by a lot of opticians who have felt that poor eyesight contributes heavily to causing accidents on UK roads.

Your safety and that of other road users and pedestrians alike is greatly reduced as the risk of accidents increase when you step behind the wheel knowing your eyesight is not up to par. Lack lustre eyesight reduces your ability to discern between stationary and moving objects, as well as reducing your ability to spot potential hazards and adjust your driving appropriately. No doubt if your driving capabilities are compromised in any way and the compromise is something that could been prevented, your insurance provider may raise an eyebrow or two if you are looking to make a claim.

The majority of vans being driven on UK roads today are done so for business purposes, whether it’s for a small, personal business or part of a fleet of vans owned by a large corporation. Regardless of whose business you promote and develop by using your van, if you are in an accident that is in part caused by your vision deficiency your claim may be refused because you drove the vehicle knowing your vision may not have been sufficient.

That said, for those that drive a van for an employer may not be aware that their employer may be responsible for the care of your eyesight and that you may be entitled to certain benefits, like a free eye-test and the provision of spectacles if you are found to be in need. This was one of the suggestions put forward by a massive 92 per cent of the drivers that had been interviewed at the road show. They expressed the belief that a compulsory eye sight every three years would certainly reduce the number of road accidents that were caused by drivers falling short of the legal requirements as set by the Department for Transport.

Of the 50 tested, a large proportion – 89 percent would consider having their eyes checked more often if it meant it would have a positive impact on their insurance premiums. On the one hand it is the responsibility of the individual to look after their eyesight, on the other hand with the cost of living spiralling out of control and each and every institution looking for ways to save pennies and spend fewer pounds, it’s not really surprising that individuals are forced to view things like eye care as a luxury.

Unfortunately in the event of an accident, van drivers and all other road users are forced to appreciate just how valuable they are to themselves. Rather than working for yourself or for a company for a wage that is spent simply on surviving, it is far more important to take care of yourself and your health. Life and health insurance offer discounts to those that look after their health as they note doing so will reduce the likelihood of a claim. In time maybe van insurance will do the same, maybe they will recognise the potent importance of one having pristine vision and will reward those that ensure they do.