Critical Review of Vision Fitness Testing within the South African Driving License Testing and Road Safety Context

Abstract

In the South African context visual fitness testing prior to issuing a learner's, driving license or authorizing the renewal of a driving license has been legislated since 1998. Of all the medical fitness disqualifiers, visual fitness has been prioritized as perhaps the most important medical condition to be verified through eye-testing procedure at a licensing authority. All other medical conditions are disclosed or declined through a concise declaration by the applicant. This study shows firstly, that the causal factors of certain vehicle accidents are not significantly related to visual fitness. Secondly, considering the substantiated low failure rate through eye-testing at driving license testing centres, the study suggests there is no justification for the current prescribed eye-testing procedure and accompanying operational and capital budget implications without the other relevant eye-testing procedures.