Business drivers whose employers use IAM RoadSmart courses can now benefit from reduced rate glasses and eye care through a new partnership with HeathcarePlan.

It is estimated nearly 3,000 crashes a year are caused by poor driver vision while one-third of all collisions on the road involve drivers on a business journey.

HealthcarePlan will offer a 10% discount on its Driver EyecarePlan packages to business drivers whose employers use IAM RoadSmart products, and in addition make a £2 per driver donation to the charitable work of IAM RoadSmart.

The business driver receives the incentive in the form of vouchers which can be redeemed against a range of eye care products – including a full eyesight test, optical correction prescription and a complete set of glasses.

All EyecarePlans can be delivered to the employee by email or text message and the employee can choose to visit either one of 640 Boots Opticians or any of 640 HealthcarePlan-affiliated independent practices.

Lesley Upham, IAM RoadSmart commercial director, said: “The issue of drivers at the wheel of a car, van or lorry with uncorrected or defective vision is a serious one.

"Employers need to realise they have a legal obligation to ensure that if they are aware of any of their drivers having eyesight that is so poor to be breaking the law, that they know about it and have addressed the issue.

“With this in mind, we are pleased to link up with HeathcarePlan to offer this very valuable incentive to business drivers – which could ultimately save lives.”

Lyn Hodges, director of strategic planning at HeathcarePlan, added: “This is something that is so easy to fix and could benefit so many people beyond the drivers themselves.

“The facts are that 64 people were killed in Britain last year by drivers on the road with defective or uncorrected eyesight.

"Of the 2,300 people who need glasses or contact lenses, a survey found a quarter drove without them, increasing their chances of an accident four-fold.

“That is something we want to tackle here and now – and we aim to make inroads into that by working with IAM RoadSmart.”

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