Cornwall mum ‘could be alive’ if older driver rules changed

Claire Eady believes that if the principles for older drivers have been totally different her mum would nonetheless be right here immediately.

Final summer season 79-year-old Geraldine Gibson died after pulling out into oncoming visitors close to her residence in Cornwall.

“I by no means thought I must say the phrases ‘my mum’s been killed in a automobile crash’,” mentioned Mrs Eady, who mentioned rules for drivers over the age of 70 have been “unsafe and insufficient” and wanted an overhaul.

In the meanwhile there isn’t a higher age restrict for driving within the UK, with round 500 licence holders aged between 100 and 108.

The federal government mentioned it was dedicated to enhancing street security.

Mrs Gibson was attempting to cross the A30 at Plusha close to Launceston to fulfill a buddy when she pulled into the trail of one other automobile.

An inquest heard there was nothing the opposite driver, who suffered minor accidents, might have executed to keep away from it.

Nationwide Highways instructed the listening to the junction had since been altered after different accidents however Mrs Eady, from West Sussex, mentioned older age was “completely an element” in her mom’s crash.

She discovered her mom was struggling to manoeuvre beforehand and had a separate near-collision.

Mrs Eady mentioned she believed arthritis and an earlier stroke may have affected her mum’s driving.

“I do not assume my mum ever would have thought she wanted to cease driving as a result of there have been too many issues that trusted her being out in a automobile,” she mentioned.

Drivers have a obligation to inform the Driver and Car Licensing Authority (DVLA) of circumstances affecting their health to drive, however Mrs Eady mentioned this felt inadequate.

“You’ll be able to’t actually depend on the person to do this… particularly if it is their solely means of getting out,” she added.

She mentioned she would really like medical professionals to be legally required to inform authorities and for there to be obligatory testing for these over 70.

What are the present guidelines concerning older drivers?

• Drivers should renew their licence aged 70 and each three years thereafter
• There isn’t any higher age restrict for driving within the UK, with about 500 licence holders aged between 100 and 108
• Drivers have a obligation to self-declare medical conditions that might have an effect on driving to the DVLA
• Steering by the DVLA states well being professionals ought to inform the company if a affected person can’t or won’t, however it’s not a authorized requirement

Because the UK inhabitants ages, the variety of older drivers can also be growing, with licence holders aged 70 and over going up by about 200,000 a 12 months, based on the DVLA.

Division of Transport statistics present older drivers make up about 14% of all licence holders however account for 1 / 4 of these killed on the roads, and that individuals aged over 75 and below 25 are at highest threat of being killed or significantly harm in a crash.

Rob Heard from the Older Drivers Discussion board, which helps motorists to proceed driving safely for longer, mentioned the “overwhelming majority of older drivers have a wealth of expertise, confidence and tolerance”.

However he added: “As we age, our relative frailty signifies that older drivers are sometimes over represented in critical damage collisions, notably for the age group of 80 and above.”

Mr Heard mentioned aged drivers have been extra more likely to crash on account of sickness or errors in judgement, whereas accidents involving youthful drivers have been extra probably by means of pace or taking dangers.

He mentioned he supported obligatory referrals of medical circumstances by well being professionals and suggested involved relations to encourage mature driver assessments.

The BBC has had unique entry to a report, which mentioned many individuals have been “unaware” of their authorized obligation to tell the DVLA of sure medical circumstances and well being professionals have been “reluctant to” accomplish that.

The analysis, ready for a coroner in April, confirmed lower than 10% of DVLA notifications have been made by medical professionals and different third events.

The report’s creator, Dr Carol Hawley, analysis fellow on the College of Warwick, mentioned the system “does want to alter”.

She mentioned her analysis prompt there was underreporting of visible and medical circumstances “as a result of there will not be that many notifications in comparison with the variety of driving licence holders and the variety of folks that have these circumstances”.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal School of GPs, mentioned the faculty would welcome a extra formalised strategy “to make sure that any obligatory breaches of doctor-patient confidentiality are protected in legislation and keep away from undermining affected person belief”.

The Affiliation of Optometrists and The School of Optometrists mentioned they “strongly help” the introduction of normal obligatory imaginative and prescient checks for all drivers and mentioned the present system was “not match for goal”.

Elsewhere in Cornwall, Hilary Nias mentioned she “feels very strongly” that change is required, following her sister-in-law’s deadly accident.

“It was a tragic finish to a extremely attention-grabbing life,” she mentioned, including household had repeatedly warned her that her driving was unsafe.

Jennifer Nias, 90, pulled out onto the A39 at Devoran and crashed onto a roundabout when she mistook the accelerator pedal for the brake.

She died from her accidents 5 months later.

Mrs Nias mentioned her sister-in-law might “solely simply” see over the dashboard and was having issues with spatial consciousness.

“That wanted testing and assessing… it might probably have averted my sister-in-law’s ghastly accident – and lots of others,” she mentioned.

Jennifer Nias utilized for her driving licence to be renewed inside the three years earlier than her accident and no medical circumstances have been declared.

Following her inquest Emma Hillson, assistant coroner for Cornwall, wrote to the Division of Transport and the DVLA, highlighting the shortage of any “requirement for there to be any type of medical verify or evaluation to substantiate health to drive”.

Mrs Nias mentioned she was “frankly depressed” by the response, which didn’t recommend any adjustments to the present system.

There’s a higher proportion of elderly people within the South West of England than the nationwide common, and a few right here see driving as a lifeline.

In Bodmin, 130 older folks meet weekly on the city corridor at an Age Concern social group. Some drive to get there.

Widower Reg Harris, 85, mentioned giving up driving would “completely crucify” his life-style.

Alvin Trevenna, 88, added: “I would not have the ability to get anyplace, do something… I’d simply as nicely sit within the armchair and wait to die.”

Drivers can refer themselves for an older driving evaluation by Driving Mobility at a value, however referrals from the DVLA, police or NHS are free.

The charity mentioned greater than 10,000 folks aged over 70 in England underwent one in 2024 – 0.2% of drivers of that age.

The native street security partnership Vision Zero South West needs extra public consciousness in addition to tighter regulation.

It mentioned 176 drivers aged over 60 have been killed or significantly injured on Cornwall and Devon’s street community in 2024.

Chair Alison Hernandez mentioned: “We wish to defend folks’s lives as a result of it’s completely devastating when this occurs to folks and their households.”

Requested what might be executed to help older drivers who felt they’d no alternative however to hold on as a result of public transport usually was not adequate in rural areas, Hernandez mentioned her workplace was planning to run a marketing campaign “to teach older drivers on how they are often at their finest behind the wheel”.

The federal government instructed the BBC the DVLA was analysing findings from current inquests, and from a 2023 name for proof on the legislative framework governing driver licensing for folks with medical circumstances.

It mentioned the DVLA would proceed to interact with healthcare professionals and their regulatory our bodies to know if there could also be circumstances the place they “might be inspired or supported in notifying DVLA of a affected person’s medical situation”.

A Division for Transport spokesperson added: “The NHS recommends adults ought to have their eyes examined each two years and drivers are legally required to tell the DVLA if they’ve a situation which impacts their potential to drive.

“We’re dedicated to enhancing street security and proceed to discover methods to realize this.”

Extra reporting by Lauren Woodhead, England Information Unit