Bonn, Germany  - Good vision is important when driving so as not to endanger oneself and others on the road especially from the age of the mid 40s and upward when eyesight gradually starts deteriorating.

The Automobile Club of Europe (ACE) estimates that several hundred thousand accidents a year can be attributed to bad vision. The German Association of Ophthalmologists recently estimated that some eleven per cent of drivers aged 50-59 and some 20 per cent of motorists 60 years and older have such poor eyesight that they should no longer be driving at night.

Here are some tips for good vision:

Keep the windscreen, your glasses and the headlamps clean.

Have your eyes tested every second year, especially if you are over 40.

Some countries require drivers to carry a spare pair of glasses or contact lenses in the car.

If you are diagnosed with cataracts, glaucoma or other eye conditions you are required in most countries to notify licensing authorities. Your insurance might not cover you if you have an accident and have not declared your eyesight.

Be sure that sunglasses are dark enough but not so dark that they impair your vision (dpa)