AIBU to despair that an elderly man can kill a young girl who was on the pavement and the police were unable to suspend his licence?

[sneezecakesmum]

The police allegedly (I have to legally say this) stopped an 87 yo man for a driving offence and he failed the numberplate eyesight test. They tried 2 hours to persuade him not to drive until he could be properly assessed by the DVLA. They have no powers to take his licence.

The same driver later (allegedly) drove his car twice onto the pavement scattering pedestrians and crushed a 16 year old girl to death.

Is it unreasonable to be sick of unfit drivers (drink or health problems) getting no more than a slap on the wrist for killing and maiming innocent pedestrians??

The girls mum has started an e petition on the gov website to try to have the law changed, (Cassies Law)

You actually got the story the wrong way around, he had a minor accident, then failed the sight test. It was after this he killed the pedestrian.
YANBU, but it's important to get the facts correct.

Is there not a news link or something? I mean an alleged incident, and is there a link to the law.

Surely they could have arrested him on suspicion of careless or dangerous driving? 2 hours seems a long time.

That 2nd post makes
Much more sense

Bobyan....That what I put...he was stopped for a driving offence (minor), failed the eyesight test, and it was after this he later killed the girl.

I'm not against elderly drivers, just unfit ones, the law is crazy regarding this area or motoring offences.

I can't see the problem with the op? It's perfectly clear to me .

What does Bobyan mean - you got the story the wrong way round?

I will link it, but MNHQ deleted a thread. presumably because of my link so I am a bit about this.

OP's thread was clear....and YANBU - it's bloody tragic!

here

The subject line in the OP implies that he killed someone and the police weren't able to take away his licence. I presume they now have though.

Your title implies that he killed someone and the police were unable suspend his licence after the death.

He died in the accident. If they had arrested his they would have been called 'heavy handed' for arresting an 87 yo man for a minor offence! Bit of a no win situation for the police.

sorry 3 months or weeks after from injuries.

Sadly it's All true. It happened in my town. Colin Horsfal 87, missed his exit into a petrol station, so tried to use the back exit. His foot slipped onto the accelerator, (automatic car) and he had an accident. Police were involved, and he did indeed fail a sight test. Req is 32 feet I think, he manages about 16. The police officers tried for 2 hours to persuade him to hand in his license, they were unable to take it from him. His response was "Do I have to?" three days later he mounted the kerb twice in the town centre, (CCTV footage is on show) and ploughed into 2 16yos. One was injured, the other died. Her name was Cassie McCord. petition here

The main body of the post clarifies that, I believe thats why people should read it in full?

Catpuss - I truly despair about unfit drivers

Oh, and witnesses say that there were no break lights lit when he hit her. Maybe his foot slipped again!

I signed the petition. Hope it succeeds

Apparently a psychologist explained that when the foot is on the accellerator when someone elderly thinks its the brake, they push harder because the car is not slowing!

Is it unreasonable to be sick of unfit drivers (drink or health problems) getting no more than a slap on the wrist for killing and maiming innocent pedestrians??

I don't understand.

If he'd lived he would not have been given 'a slap on the wrist'.

The whole campaign is about changing the law so that eg when someone fails the numberplate license test the police can seize the license immediately and the driver has to file an appeal to get it back.

It's nothing to do with 'slap(s) on the wrist.'

I know of a driver who has evaded prosecution so far for killing sombody on the roads by pleading ill health. It didn't happen in this case but dut it does happen.

I know someone who evaded prosecution for drink driving. She killed her own daughter! The judge decided that she had suffered enough! Yes, but probably not as much as her daughter!

I personally think that driving licences should have an expiry date and you should pay to retake the test every 5 years or so. More often at first passing and once you get to a certain age where eyesight and reactions are much slower.

I dont understand why the law says that if you are over the legal limit for alcohol and the police catch you then they have the power to not allow you to drive, but if you cant see the legal limit then they are powerless

Anyway petition signed

YANBU but he didn't get "just a slap on the wrist" for killing a young girl.

He got a slap on the wrist for driving into some trees, although the former obviously sounds more sensational....

Do you write for the DM by any chance?

Generally the sentences given to those who kill or cause severe injury whilst driving under the influence/when they knew they were unfit to drive are pathetic. I know it happens Northern, Saggy (that sounds wrong), but in this case it never got to that stage. It's about the fact that the police were powerless to seize the man's license when he was involved in a minor accident days before the fatal one.

It must happen on a fairly regular basis, thankfully not with such awful consequences. When the police attend an accident and feel that the person is unfit to drive they shouldn't have to persuade the driver to surrender their license.