Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - Researchers from the University of Alabama have found that a simple vision test has managed to reduce the number of vehicle deaths the elderly are involved in.

In 2004, a law was put in place in the state of Florida which forces drivers over the age of 80 to pass a vision test.

Researchers led by Gerald McGwin and used data from the U.S. Census Bureau as well as the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to see how effective the law was.

They compared the number of vehicle deaths from 2001 to 2006.

They found a 17% decrease in vehicle deaths among the elderly after the 2004 law went into effect.

The study has been published in the November issue of Archives of Opthamology.