International Standards:
Vision Requirements for Driving Safety:
Appendix 1 - Survey of Driving License Requirements (except USA)
This tabulation is based on data provided by members of the International Council, as indicated.
|
Country |
Visual Acuity, both eyes |
Monocular vision |
Visual fields |
Color vision |
Restr. License possible |
|
Algeria (Hartani) |
0.8 |
1.0 (+ 2 rear mirrors) |
|
|
|
|
Australia (F.Martin) |
6/12 |
6/12 |
120° hor. by confrontation |
No |
Yes |
|
Bulgaria (Markov) |
0.6 |
|
|
Yes |
|
|
Belgium (Off. journal) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
120° no diplopia |
No |
Yes |
|
Canada [35,36](Casson et al, 2000, D.P. Anderson 2005) |
20/50 (Quebec 20/50) |
|
120° (Quebec 100° hor; >30° each side ) |
Some yes Some no |
Yes |
|
Colombia (Rodriguez) |
20/40 |
|
120° |
Yes |
|
|
Denmark (Norregaard) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
Nl. for hand movements |
|
|
|
European Union (e.g. Belgium) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
120° no diplopia |
No |
Yes |
|
France (J.P.Adenis) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
120° no diplopia |
No |
|
|
Gambia (H.Faal) |
6/9 |
|
No |
|
|
|
Germany (Steuhl, M.Korth) |
0.5 0.2 |
0.6 |
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
Hungary (Hatvani) |
0.8; 0.25 1.3 |
1.0 |
Defect of less than 30° |
|
Yes |
|
India (Rao, Vasavada) |
6/18 |
|
|
|
|
|
Israel (J.Pe’er) |
6/12 |
|
Yes |
|
|
|
Italy (Secchi) |
0.5 |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
Japan (Shigeaki) |
0.7 binoc. |
|
150° |
|
|
|
Mexico (Graue) |
20/25 |
|
|
|
Yes |
|
Netherlands (Kooijman) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
140° |
No |
Yes |
|
New Zealand (Peart) |
6/12 |
6/12 |
140° |
No |
Yes |
|
Nigeria (Hassan, Abiose) |
6/12 6/9 |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
Slovekia (Cernak) |
0.5 |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
South Africa (T.Murray) |
20/40 |
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
|
Sweden (Hedin) |
0.5 |
0.6 |
One normal |
No |
Yes |
|
Switzerland Jenny) |
0.6; other 0.1 |
0.8 |
140° no diplopia |
|
Yes |
| UK
(P.Watson) |
car number plate at 25 yds |
|
120°, tested if driver declares eye disease |
|
|
|
Venezuela (Cortez) |
20/40 |
|
Normal on confrontation |
Semaphor |
Yes |
|
European Commission |
0.5 |
0.6 |
120° no diplopia |
No |
Yes |
The criteria vary from country to country. Most countries agree with a visual acuity in the better eye of 0.50 (20/40; 6/12).
If the driver has only one functional eye, the vision requirement in that eye is higher than for binocular drivers in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland.
Only the UK specifies the way visual acuity must be measured. Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act of 1998, states "The inability to read in good light (with the aid of corrective lenses if necessary) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79.4 mm high at a distance of 25 yards)."
This test, of course, lacks standardization and a study by Kiel et al (2003) [37] showed that the results depend on the reading difficulty. T174ILE is easier to decipher than M528CBY. Drivers with 20/40 visual acuity failed the test.
The Belgian guidelines have been modified by the Royal Decree of 23 March 1998 and follow the Guidelines of the European Commission [25]. As such they are representative for the situation in the whole European Union.
A candidate presenting an acute or chronic ocular condition, which may influence driving safety, is not allowed to drive. If he/she suddenly loses the vision of one eye, has been operated on one eye or presents an oculomotor palsy provoking diplopia in primary gaze, the ophthalmologist must determine when the candidate is apt to drive.
Next to visual acuity and visual field, night vision is also considered. However protanopia, which was an exclusion criterion before 1998, is no more considered a reason to deny a driving license.
Next: Vision Requirements for Driving Safety: Appendix 2 - Driving License Requirements in the USA
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