A survey has found the safety of women drivers could be at risk from motorists with eyesight standards below the legal limits.

Over a third of drivers subjected to vision spot testing at a roadshow failed to meet requirements set by the police and the government.

Five hundred motorists were checked by Specsavers at a Drive Safe roadshow at Olympia in London, with the optician branding the results "shocking".

Specsavers founder Dame Mary Perkins said: "Being perceptive and alert as a driver, especially in a congested city such as London, is crucial, so it is vital they have their eyes examined."

Current regulations require male and female drivers to be able to read a number plate from a distance of about 20 metres.

The law says anyone needing to use glasses or contact lenses to pass this test must also wear them while driving.

Specsavers encouraged female motorists to get their eyes checked regularly and also revealed most motorists would support compulsory examinations for drivers every few years.

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