Drivers over 70 should have compulsory eyesight tests, says expert who reveals some older motorists 'can't read a number plate three metres away'

Drivers over 70 should have compulsory eyesight tests with some being unable to read a number plate from just three metres away, a former police officer and road safety expert has said.

Rob Heard, a road safety consultant and the founder of the Older Drivers Forum, said that around 10 per cent of drivers have deficient eyesight, with sight loss significantly worsening after the age of 70.

65 per cent of Brits are in favour of mandatory driving re-tests for over-70s, according to YouGov polling estimates.

Mr Heard was a police officer for 20 years and a lot of his work revolved around traffic incidents which exposed him to the dangers of older drivers.

In one case he worked on, an 89-year-old man drove on the wrong side of a dual carriageway for over a mile and killed a 28-year-old coming in the opposite direction.

Drivers over 70 should have compulsory eyesight tests, a former police officer and road safety expert has said (stock image)