An optician in Pembroke Dock is using Road Safety Week to remind drivers and pedestrians to take care on the roads, following new research showing that drivers with poor eyesight are 62 percent more likely to stray out of their lane when driving.

To help local residents prepare for winter road conditions, staff at Specsavers in Pembroke Dock will be offering free in-store number plate vision checks during Road Safety Week, which starts Monday.

This quick check is the same as the one that forms part of the driving test and will let them know whether their vision is still fit for the road.

The store has also recently donated luminous vests to Pembroke Dock Community School, Pennar Infant School and Golden Grove Community School as part of the store's Be Seen, Be Safe initiative. This is set to increase the safety of children while they are walking to school or out on group trips as the evenings get darker.

The new research, commissioned earlier this year by Brunel University and insurance provider Royal Sun Alliance (RSA), also reveals that the quality of a driver's vision has a fundamental impact on their driving performance2. The study also indicates that drivers who meet the minimum legal eyesight requirement for driving only recognise three-quarters of the road signs they encounter, compared to drivers with good vision 3.

Gary Owen, director of Specsavers in Pembroke Dock, said: "These new results are proof that many people are taking unnecessary risks on our roads. Being perceptive and alert as a driver - especially on congested roads - is essential, so it's particularly important to follow the advice of the College of Optometrists, which recommends an eye check every two years.

"Patients with certain conditions may need more frequent examinations. Drivers that choose to ignore that advice are putting themselves and others in danger," he added.