LARSOA condems night vision glasses

LARSOA has condemned night vision glasses which claim to help people to see in the dark. It fears motorists could put themselves and other road users and pedestrians at serious risk if they wear them.

The Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association is concerned at seeing advertisements for these spectacles in several publications and websites.

Road Safety Officers are warning the public not to buy them and have called for such offers to be withdrawn.

Advertisements for the glasses say they are the "ultimate anti-glare glasses" and that they, "improve your vision, reduce glare and sharpen your eyesight at night".

Simon Ettinghausen, chair of LARSOA, explains: "LARSOA and several other road safety organisations have concerns about drivers using these glasses. Wearing them will reduce the amount of light entering the eye, which will then reduce the ability of a person to see well while driving at night."

While advertisements are not aimed specifically at drivers, LARSOA fears drivers may believe it will be a solution to any problems they have seeing well in the dark. The advertisement for the glasses also says they are helpful in rain, haze and fog.

Rule 82 of the Highway Code states: "At night or in poor visibility, do not use tinted glasses, lenses or visors or anything which restricts vision."

Further, The College of Optometrists says on their website there is no evidence that amber lenses improve vision on the road and, in fact, tinted lenses may actually make vision worse. Windscreen tints have the same effect which is why the Highway Code warns drivers not to use any form of tint at night.

Simon adds: "It is not just motorists who could be at risk but all road users, including pedestrians wearing these glasses, who may need to cross busy roads. We would ask for this offer to be withdrawn and motorists warned of the dangers of wearing tinted glasses at night."

ABOUT LARSOA

LARSOA is a national road safety organisation representing road safety officers (RSOs) employed in local government across the UK.

LARSOA represents 185 of the 200 eligible local authorities across the UK, assisting RSOs to fulfil their statutory role to reduce the number and severity of road casualties through education, training and publicity programmes.

LARSOA publishes an up-to-date round-up of road safety news from across the UK on its website www.larsoa.org.uk .

LARSOA also aims to influence national debate - government policy and action together with public opinion. The association works to achieve national recognition for road safety issues, commissions research into behaviour which contributes to road collisions and develops national road safety campaigns.

The association assists in identifying achievable national targets to reduce the number of collisions on the country's roads.