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.
