Duke of Edinburgh’s Road Accident

[SirGawain]

AIBU to ask why on earth is the Duke of Edinburgh driving at the age of 97.

I have a DFIL with mild dementia and other health issues who has been told not to drive. DBIL was told to take his keys. he has never had an accident in his life. he feels he should drive and his life will be housebound more or less except for family or friends taking him out and about without it, he lives alone with no hobbies.
It's all very well stating that old people shouldn't drive but it puts a big stress on the family to be the enforcers when the person disagrees very strongly. Much better if tests were available regularly for the elderly so that they could easily be checked (hearing, sight, reactions etc) and tested to drive.

Can I also add DFIL cannot walk distances of more than 500 yds due to back problems so it is severely limiting for him not being able to drive.

It's all very well stating that old people shouldn't drive but it puts a big stress on the family to be the enforcers when the person disagrees very strongly.

My Dad had early onset dementia and numerous physical health issues and was clearly unsafe to drive (pulling out in front of other vehicles etc) and refused to give up his driving license, despite my Mum, me and my brother all asking him too. In the end the only solution was to anonymously report him to the DVLA and secretly write a letter to his GP asking hem to assess his suitability to drive. To the day he died, he never knew it was me that reported him. It was a horrible decision to have to make, but he could have seriously hurt himself or someone else, and at least this way it didn't affect our relationship.

If I’ve understood correctly, the DoE was driving independently in a land rover freelander. His police-protection officer/officers were following in a landy discovery.

So facilitating this particular gentleman’s independence requires 2 diesel vehicles.

Is he still president of the WWF?

Difficult to roll a Range Rover I would think

Apparently he pulled out and because of the low sun didn't see the other car, a Kia. It's a 60 mph road but to roll a Range Rover it must have been hit at some speed!

Age comments are ridiculous. Why shouldn’t old people drive? ‘Because their reactions are slower’ yes well often a 60 year olds reactions are slower than a 20 year old, shall we ban them too? Elderly drivers are MUCH, much safer than young drivers. Why should we ban them when younger people create many many more accidents?

Has it been formally decided that Philip was to blame for the accident?

Much better if tests were available regularly for the elderly so that they could easily be checked (hearing, sight, reactions etc) and tested to drive.

Yes, but I'd apply it to everyone, i.e. a compulsory full re-test every 10 years regardless of age. It's not just the elderly who are crap drivers - there are young and middle aged who are dangerous on the roads too!

Regardless of whether he was to blame have you seen how slow and doddery he is? He's not fit to be driving anyway. I'm not sure many 97 year olds would be!

required hospital treatment?
Not necessarily. They went to hospital, perhaps to be checked over, but we're discharged pretty quickly, so that may well mean no injuries.
People are leaping to conclusions here with little evidence. The media don't really know either, so quoting them isn't foolproof either.

I think it’s very wrong to assume the accident was the fault of the older driver. It might well be his reactions are slow but it might also be the two women were chatting or singing and not paying attention whilst driving at excessive speed. To roll a land rover, as previously said, takes a significant force. Force is directly proportionate to speed of travel.

@KitKat1985 that was indeed a horrible decision, but the right one, well done.

I recall my friend having to have the conversation with his father, the father didn't say a word just got up, took the keys out of the drawer and gave them to my friend. Tears on both sides, but he was no longer fit to drive.

Apparently the other driver or passenger suffered a broken arm. Possibly from trying to hold on to the steering wheel.

The only reason the elderly don’t have more road accidents is because they often drive way below the speed limit, are very hesitant generally and tend to wobble all over the place. This means other drivers see them coming and keep a considerable distance. Unlike ‘boy racers’ who cause accidents because of reckless driving.

You are more likely to find a hens tooth than a 90+ competent driver.

Frankly super lucky that no one was seriously injured - and I don't mean prince Philip himself - imagine if his driving has caused serious injury or worse to others!

There was a 10 month old baby in the other car. This accident could have been very much worse.

I will most likely never have to make the decision to give up driving. I'm 30 now, and am reasonably sure we'll have switched to driverless cars by the time I'm 80 (if not 50).

Just heard on the radio news that Norfolk County Council are already looking at reducing the speed limit on that road, as between 2012 and 2018 there have been 42 accidents.

I don't know the area, never been there, but it does sound like a bit of an accident black spot, although the news report didn't say how serious the accidents had been.

It's time to read test pensioners.

They're a nightmare on the roads. They hide away in the stastics through driving small amounts locally once a week. But so many around here are going 20-30 in a national speed limit - very dangerous. They cause accidents and just drive off or scrape a car and don't even realise it.

It seems that the county council has been planning a reduction in the speed limit on that stretch of road as it's notoriously dangerous. Add that to being blinded by the low sun - as I was yesterday afternoon - and it could have happened to anyone. It's shockingly ageist to assume it was his fault because of his age.

I'm 30 now, and am reasonably sure we'll have switched to driverless cars by the time I'm 80 (if not 50)

There's no way we'll have driverless cars replacing driven cars throughout the country this century. Maybe there'll be a few "experimental" cities where driverless cars are the norm with "driverless" roads and motorways, but it's completely unrealistic to think that all towns, cities, villages, country roads will facilitate driverless cars for another few generations yet. I'd be surprise if all cars are electric in 20 years.

It's not ageist, it's the opposite and using common sense and science.

You have to be doing something very wrong to roll and landrover on flat land.

Apparently you don't, several pp have said it's depressingly easy. How can you possibly say it's not ageist to assume an accident is someone's fault based on their age? You do know what ageist means?

Has it been formally decided that Philip was to blame for the accident?

No

I don't think that "short journeys in the local area" are necessarily any safer than others.

You’re more likely to be in an accident close to home than anywhere else.