After the recent case were a pedestrian died after being run over by a 93 year old motorist ,calls are again being made to introduce special tests for over 70s. Eugene Goody, a veteran of the Second World War, was returning from his daily visit to his wife's grave when he ran over Stephen Friede, after failing to see a red light. Goody was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence at a Crown Court in London after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. He is thought to be the oldest person convicted of such a charge.
Goody was also disqualified from driving for four years and told he would have to take an extended test if he ever wanted to get behind the wheel again.
In addition, he will be subject to a curfew between 10pm and 7am every day and his car will be sold to help pay prosecution costs.
Research shows motorists over 70 are three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads than younger drivers. The number of drivers over 70 has risen by 300,000 in less than two years and more than three million hold full licences.
Whilst not being ageist, after seeing examples of granny rage and doddery dithering every day I am all for the idea of tests . Today myself and my amazed passengers watched spellbound at the parking antics of an elderly couple in Barrows church Street. The car was the senior delinquents weapon of popular choice the "Nissan Micra"fully loaded with the obligatory nodding dog and brown floral cushions on the parcel shelf.
Goody was also disqualified from driving for four years and told he would have to take an extended test if he ever wanted to get behind the wheel again.
In addition, he will be subject to a curfew between 10pm and 7am every day and his car will be sold to help pay prosecution costs.
Research shows motorists over 70 are three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads than younger drivers. The number of drivers over 70 has risen by 300,000 in less than two years and more than three million hold full licences.
Whilst not being ageist, after seeing examples of granny rage and doddery dithering every day I am all for the idea of tests . Today myself and my amazed passengers watched spellbound at the parking antics of an elderly couple in Barrows church Street. The car was the senior delinquents weapon of popular choice the "Nissan Micra"fully loaded with the obligatory nodding dog and brown floral cushions on the parcel shelf.
Even though the parking space was huge and could have been driven straight into, it was turned into a huge maneuver blocking the road for at least ten minutes. After several failed attempts with the car mounting the pavement and scattering pedestrians the drivers wife decided to get out and guide him. We all held our breath, when after much loud revving and arm waving the gap between cars narrowed with the wife in danger of being crushed. Instead of moving out of the danger area we were stunned when she actually braced herself and started to try and stop the reversing car with her outstretched arms. I closed my eyes and one of my passengers reached for her phone to call an ambulance. But when I opened my eyes by some miracle she had either stopped the car with some well hidden superpowers or the driver had finally found the brake.
3 comments:
One of the benefits of working nights ....you get very few real oldies...Getting there myself now, hopefully I'll realise I'm a crap driver and stop when it happens
roy: well as they say life is a one way street and we all have to slow down before the dead end.
It is such a tough call. When is it time to call a halt to driving? I know the answer is, before somebody gets hurt, BUT there are so many elders out there who think they can still drive. They can drive, but the reflexes and response times are just gone. Dimming eyesight doesn't help either. Man, I don't know what I'm going to do way out here when I can no longer drive.
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