A touching story has emerged from the UK, as a 95-year-old veteran has spoken of the joy he has felt driving again, five years after he was registered blind and was forced to give up his driving licence. BBC News was on hand to cover the heartwarming story.
Jim Alison, from Abergavenny, Wales, was registered blind in 2021, and he was sadly forced to give up his driving licence because of that. Before that, he had served with the Royal Engineers for 22 years.
After he had served in the military, Alison became a driver in London. Specifically, he was a chauffeur. After he lost his vision five years ago due to macular degeneration, he thought he would never be able to drive again. But that is where Blind Veterans UK and Speed of Sight came in and ensured he would get to drive again.
The group, which looks after veterans who have lost their sight, was able to take part in a special event at the Llandow Circuit in the Vale of Glamorgan thanks to the charity Speed of Sight. The event itself helped those who had disabilities experience the thrill of driving.
How Alison Was Able To Drive Again
‘Fantastic’ moment blind veteran, 95, drives again after giving up licencehttps://t.co/KyMVXfKULl
— BBC Wales 🏴 (@BBCWales) September 7, 2026
With Alison being visually impaired, he wasn’t able to get behind the wheel on his own. But the charity event had a small, open-top sports car with dual controls, which meant Alison could drive with an instructor. The dual controls meant Alison could have a little go of the car on the straightaways around the Welsh racetrack.
“I think I managed to get to 90 km/h (55mph),” said Alison. “You put your life in their hands, and it was absolutely fantastic,” added the veteran. “They let me take over for a while going down the straight because, being sight-impaired, I couldn’t see the bends.” He never thought he’d be able to get back behind the wheel again, but the event allowed him, and others with disabilities, to get a chance to drive a car either again or for the first time.
Alison was part of a group from Blind Veterans UK, and the event was the Speed of Sight event. It was being held at the circuit near Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan. People of all ages and backgrounds got the chance to experience driving, with many of them likely never having had the chance to do so. Doing so with an instructor ensured that every participant who went around the track was in safe hands.
Others Got the Chance To Drive Around the Circuit
There were plenty of others who had the chance to drive around the racetrack. Harley, 14, who has a visual impairment, had gone around the track at a previous event when he was 10. The event meant he had a second opportunity to experience driving. “It’s like happiness, excitement, wonder – it all goes through your mind in a blur because, literally, you’re going so fast,” he said.
“You get a rush of adrenaline, and you just feel really excited.” The Speed of Sight charity was founded by Mike Newman, a motorsports fan who was born blind and who was told he would never manage to become a racing driver because of that. But he has set several world records and decided to set up the charity in 2012. “Because I love cars so much myself, I tried to think of an idea of how we could get behind the wheel again and make it fun and exciting,” said Mike. This is the perfect event to give back to those who otherwise may never have had the chance to get behind the wheel of a car.