Poor eyesight amongst the nations motorists is leading to 7,000 drivers a year seeing their driving licence taken away according to new figures released by the DVLA.

The shocking figures reveal that there are 134 licences cancelled each week with police given powers to pull over drivers they suspect may have dodgy eyesight - though the problem also affects learner drivers with 12 drivers per week failing their test before it’s even started as they cannot read a clean number plate from a distance of 20 metres.

The data was published by insurer Direct Line, whose own research of more than 2,000 drivers found that 21 per cent of drivers hadn’t had their eyes tested over the last two years.

Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said: “If people do not have regular eye tests, they may not even realise their vision is impaired when they get behind the wheel, which leaves them a danger to themselves and other road users.

“A simple eye test, that takes a moment in time, can ensure drivers have the appropriate corrective glasses or contact lenses so that their vision is adequate to drive.”

Drivers in Brighton are the most likely to go without taking an eye test, with 33% of those polled admitting that they had taken a test for two years.

Cities with highest percentage of drivers that haven't had an eye test for over 2 years

1. Brighton: 33%

=2. Glasgow: 30%

=2. Leeds: 30%

=4. Birmingham: 29%

=4. Bristol: 29%

6. Newcastle: 28%

7. Plymouth: 27%

=8. Edinburgh: 26%

=8. Liverpool: 26%

10. Southampton: 25%

11. Norwich: 23%

=12. Manchester: 21%

=12. London: 21%

=12. Sheffield: 21%

15. Belfast: 18%

16. Nottingham: 15%

17. Cardiff: 13%

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