609 driving licences revoked for failing police eyesight tests (28 July 2015)

Freedom of Information Act have revealed that hundreds of motorists have had their driving licence revoked since 2013, after failing roadside eye tests under new police powers.

The Guardian reports that under “Cassie’s Law” police forces across the UK applied 631 times to revoke licences after drivers failed an attempt to a read number plate.

Cassie’s Law introduced in 2013, after the death of a 16-year-old girl, who was struck by a car driven by an 87-year-old in Colchester, Essex in 2011.

After the death of Cassie McCord, it was revealed that the driver who struck her – Colin Horsfall – had lost control of his vehicle. He had failed a police eyesight test days earlier, but a legal loophole meant he could continue driving.

Cassie died from serious head injuries sustained when she was hit by Mr Horsfall’s car.

Her mother campaigned for a change in the law to close the legal loophole which allowed drivers to continue driving even after failing a police eyesight test.

Cassie’s Law enables the driver and vehicle licensing authority (DVLA) to revoke licences more quickly in such cases.

Out of the 631 applications to revoke licences on the grounds of failing an eyesight test, in a total of 609 cases, the DVLA revoked the drivers’ licences.

Cassie’s mother Jackie Rason said the figures were “brilliant news” – and the revocations had “potentially saved dozens of lives”.

“I had no idea until now that it was being used so widely, “ said Mrs Rason. ”And it is very satisfying to know it is making a difference.”

“That’s more than 600 people who could still be driving – perhaps without even knowing there was a problem with their sight.

“You can’t say that in every case they would have killed somebody, but it is very likely to have prevented fatal accidents and other casualties.”

Essex police had spent two hours trying to persuade Horsfall not to drive again after he was involved in a minor collision and failed an eye test in Colchester. However, police had no powers to immediately suspend his licence and three days later he later mounted a kerb, hitting Cassie as she walked with a friend.

Under Cassie’s Law, when a police officer feels the safety of other road users would be put at risk, a driver’s licence be urgently revoked, with three levels of revocation – immediate, within 48 hours and by post, under which a driver will receive a letter sent within 24 hours of notification by the police.

If a banned driver continues to drive, they could be arrested and prosecuted for a criminal offence, which could also lead to their vehicle being seized.

Duncan Lewis Motoring Offence Solicitors

Duncan Lewis motoring offence solicitors are available 24/7, 365 days a year to advise at any stage of a charge involving motoring or driving offences, including driving after failing an eyesight test, driving while impaired, speeding offences, failure to report an accident and motoring offences leading to disqualification or revocation of a licence.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and a criminal defence lawyer can usually be with a client at a police station or in court within an hour to advise on driving offences.

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