Drivers were urged to check their eyesight

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) Scotland said two out of every five drivers north of the border could be breaking the law.

The figures for the Road Ahead report suggested that 42% of Scotland's 2.6 million drivers had not had their eyes tested in the past two years.

That compared with an overall figure of 32% throughout Great Britain.

The research found drivers in their 20s were least likely to have had an eye test in the last two years.

RNIB Scotland has launched Eye Test Action Day on the back of the findings.

It is always easy to think that a collision will be caused by someone else, but it is up to each and every driver to take responsibility for their own actions Chief Constable Colin McKerracher Acpos

Billy Watson, acting director of RNIB Scotland, said: "Every driver should give their eyes a regular MOT.

"An eye test isn't just about whether you need glasses, but also about preventing your sight from getting worse - or detecting potentially blinding conditions which may need immediate treatment."

Scottish Premier League footballer Richie Byrne backed the campaign and said younger drivers should not be complacent.

The 23-year-old Dunfermline defender, who has a two-year-old son, Darren, said: "My eyesight was fine when I was 18 and got my driving licence, but recently I noticed I was having difficulty reading road signs.

"It's good to know I'm OK to drive now, especially with the little lad in the car."

The initiative was also welcomed by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos).

Fines and disqualification

Chief Constable Colin McKerracher, chairman of the Acpos roads policing committee, said: "It is always easy to think that a collision will be caused by someone else, but it is up to each and every driver to take responsibility for their own actions.

"If anyone is driving with poor eyesight which has not been corrected by glasses or contact lenses they are putting themselves and others in danger."

Motorists must always wear glasses or contact lenses while driving, if they need them.