DVLA bars 4,896 drivers over failed eye tests in 2024

Every day in Ghana, drivers with undetected cataracts, glaucoma, and failing eyesight share the road with everyone else, and most of them do not even know it.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has confirmed that 4,896 applicants were turned away from obtaining or renewing their licences in 2024 after being found medically unfit to drive due to eye conditions, including refractive errors, glaucoma, and cataracts. Many of those affected had no idea anything was wrong until they sat down for the test.

The Scale of the Screening

A total of 251,117 commercial and private drivers underwent compulsory eye screening at accredited centres across the country. Of that number, 218,471 – approximately 87 per cent – passed without issue.

However, 32,645 drivers initially failed the screening. Of those, 24,483 were later cleared after receiving treatment or corrective measures such as prescribed lenses. The remaining 4,896 could not meet the required medical standards and were ultimately denied licences.

The DVLA says the strict enforcement of eye testing falls under Regulation 29 of L.I. 2180 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683) — part of wider efforts to reduce preventable road crashes linked to impaired vision.

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Hidden Conditions Discovered Behind the Wheel

Speaking exclusively to The Ghanaian Times, DVLA Director for Driver Training, Testing and Licensing Kafui Semevo revealed that the screening exercise had uncovered far more than expected—exposing hidden health conditions among drivers that had gone undetected for years.

"Some drivers only discovered their conditions during the tests," Semevo said, noting that cases of cataracts and vision problems linked to hypertension were among the conditions identified through the process.

Drivers whose vision impairments could not be corrected had their licences revoked in line with the law. Those with treatable conditions had their licences suspended until they were medically cleared — a firm but fair approach that puts public safety first.

The Single Vision Question

The DVLA has also identified cases of drivers with monocular vision — a condition where sight is limited to one eye — following a survey conducted by the Optometry Department of the University of Cape Coast. Around 10 such cases were recorded at the Greater Accra Regional Office during the early stages of the reform.

Semevo disclosed that policy discussions are now underway that could allow drivers with single vision to operate private vehicles only while being barred from commercial driving under proposed regulatory changes. A formal decision on that policy is yet to be announced.

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A Warning From the Police

Chief Superintendent of Police Dr Remi Ninkpe, who coordinates the DVLA-Ghana Optometric Association Eye Care Reforms Project and heads the Eye Unit of the Ghana Police Service, used the development to issue a direct warning to drivers across the country.

He cautioned against self-medication and the use of unprescribed eye drops or glasses – practices he described as dangerous – and urged all drivers to make regular eye checks a core part of responsible driving habits.

The Bigger Picture

Poor eyesight remains one of the most underestimated factors in road accidents in Ghana — a silent hazard that often goes undetected until a routine medical check forces it into the open. The DVLA is currently working alongside the University of Cape Coast and the Ghana Optometric Association to assess the full impact of the reforms and strengthen enforcement going forward.

With nearly 5,000 unsafe drivers removed from Ghana's roads in a single year, the data makes a compelling case: mandatory eye testing is not bureaucracy. It is a matter of life and death on Ghanaian roads.

GH News Media will continue to follow developments on road safety in Ghana.