Is it legal to use an electric mobility scooter on the road if you can't drive due to eyesight issues?

A friend of mine was advised by his GP to give in his driving licence because of sight problems, or his licence would be taken away. He has done this but now has an electric mobility scooter which he can drive on the road. Surely if he can't see well enough to drive a car, he can't see well enough to drive a scooter. His problem is his eyesight, not the speed he will be travelling.

Asked on 15 December 2020 by Phil Harthern

Answered by Georgia Petrie

I'm afraid in this case, it's an issue that isn't specifically covered by the law - meaning that it's your friend's responsibility to keep himself and other road users safe.

"There is no legal eyesight requirement to drive mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs, but you should be able to read a car’s registration number from a distance of 12.3 metres (40 feet). You must check that you can still do this regularly. You might have to pay compensation if you have an accident and poor eyesight was part of the cause." - www.gov.uk/mobility-scooters-and-powered-wheelchai...s

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