The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has introduced some reforms in the processes leading to the acquisition and renewal of driver’s licences to reduce road crashes.
According to the authority, clients seeking new licences or renewals will undergo a more comprehensive eye test to be conducted by certified ophthalmologists at accredited facilities.
Previously, eye examination as part of the pre-requisites for a licence issuance was conducted by officials of the authority, but, a thorough review of the licence issuance process has revealed some loopholes, hence the need for the involvement of experts.
Speaking to the media, the Director of Driver Training, Testing and licencing at the DVLA, Kafui Semevo highlighted some of the challenges with the current eye test regime, adding that the proposed change will help make driver’s licences issued in Ghana comparable to those issued in developed countries.
“We also observed after review that the test that is conducted is even not up to standard. It is restricted to only examination and narrow vision in the eye of the driver. That test fails to recognize how wide the driver can see,” he said.
Meanwhile, an optometrist at the Ghana Police Hospital, Dr. Remi Ninkpe explained their role in the partnership.
“We were doing it in a minimal manner, but we need to expand the national standards so that when you have a driver’s license in Ghana, it is comparable to those elsewhere. In the past, the vision was checked for each eye. Our signages are colour-coded, but many people have colour problems,” he said.
