The Vision and Road Safety (VARS) Conference in Mumbai has highlighted eyesight as a critical yet under-recognised factor in preventing road crashes, with the coalition announcing that about 2.5 million drivers have been screened for vision impairments till February 2026 and more than 1.17 million pairs of eyeglasses dispensed. Additional screenings planned for 3,00,000 drivers across India aim to further expand access to essential eye care and improve road safety outcomes.
Globally, road traffic crashes claim approximately 1.19 million lives every year, making them one of the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide. Despite having only about 1% of the world’s motor vehicles, India accounts for nearly 11% of global road traffic deaths, with 4.87 lakh road accidents in 2024 causing 1.77 lakh fatalities and an estimated economic loss of about 3% of GDP.
Research presented at the conference underscored the strong link between poor vision and crash risk. Drivers with cataracts are 2.5 times more likely to be involved in at-fault crashes, while studies indicate that over 26% of truck drivers have refractive error, yet only 47% of those prescribed glasses actually use them. Further evidence shows that 81% of drivers with at least one visual function defect have been involved in a road traffic accident, underscoring the urgent need to integrate eyesight into mainstream road safety strategies.
To address this gap, the VARS Conference, a collaborative initiative by India Vision Institute, Mission for Vision, Sightsavers India, and VisionSpring Foundation, convened experts and stakeholders from the transport, health, research, and development sectors at Mumbai’s Yashwantrao Chavan Centre. The meeting brought together over 100 participants, including government representatives, road safety experts, eye health professionals, public health specialists, transport authorities, researchers, and civil society organisations.
A central focus of the deliberations was a call to recognise eye health and clear vision as the fifth “E” of Road Safety, alongside Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency Medical Services. Experts stressed that systematic vision screening, timely corrective eyewear, and policy-level integration of eye health could play a crucial role in reducing preventable crashes and associated deaths and injuries.
The conference also explored opportunities to embed vision screening and eye health considerations into national and state road safety frameworks, in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, which targets a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries. Through expert discussions and knowledge exchange, participants shared research insights, implementation experiences, and best practices, while identifying ways to strengthen collaboration between transport authorities, health systems, employers, and civil society.
Representatives of the VARS Alliance said, “Safe driving begins with clear vision, yet eye health is still often overlooked in road safety systems. The VARS Conference brings together stakeholders from the health, transport, and development sectors to advance this conversation. If we are serious about preventing road crashes and protecting lives, vision screening and access to corrective care must become a routine part of driver health and road safety mechanisms. By working together to strengthen vision screening programmes and ensure drivers have access to quality eye health, we can help drivers see clearly and make our roads safer for everyone.”
