What happened:
A recent article in US News Health reported on a new study which found that drivers who suffer from advanced glaucoma have twice as many accidents as drivers with normal vision. There are more than 2.7 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from the eye disease. Glaucoma is caused when fluid pressure builds within the eye and affects the peripheral vision and can cause blindness if left untreated.
The study, conducted in Japan, studied two groups of 36 people, both group makeups having similar ages, driving experiences and other characteristics. One group had advanced glaucoma; the other group members had normal vision. Using a driving simulator, the most common accident ‘scenario’ was when a person or object entered the driver’s path from the side. But the glaucoma group had twice as many ‘collisions’ as the other group.
The results of the study suggests that that potential drivers should pass a visual field test to ensure adequate peripheral vision before a license is granted or renewed. Currently, with visual field requirements vary from state to state, only twelve states restrict licenses for those with visual impairments.
The Virginia Injury Attorney Perspective:
Although many of us hate to admit it, growing older is a fact of life. We can’t always do the same activities that we could do twenty years ago, ten years ago, etc. Many of us joke about ‘arms getting shorter’ as we have to hold out the newspaper farther away to see, but ignoring changes in eye sight can have serious consequences. Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle and causing an accident is a very real risk taken.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by a driver who may have had visual impairment issues, contact a Virginia personal injury lawyer to find out what compensation you may be entitled to.
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