A Norwich-based coroner has called on transport secretary Ruth Kelly to introduce an upper age limit for drivers on hearing how a 92-year-old motorist with one eye was killed after driving into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Coroner William Armstrong urged the government to introduce tougher tests to ensure elderly people are fit to drive. He said he would take up with the authorities whether there was a need to consider more robust and rigorous procedures to assess the fitness of people over a certain age to drive, whether there should be an upper age limit for driving and whether medical tests to assess the ability of an aged person to drive should be conducted by medical practitioners appointed by a state agency as opposed to the patient's own GP.
According to Norfolk newspaper EPD24 (July 13), police said the incident was caused either by the driver failing to see the oncoming car or appreciate its speed and proximity. But the driver's daughter said that her father had a sight test nine months before and was deemed fit to drive.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'Statistically elderly drivers are not one of the demographics most likely to be involved in a road accidentdrivers are required to renew their licences every three years once they reach 70. They are required to report health problems, and there are penalties for inaccurate information being provided.'