To wonder how on earth they will sentence a 96 year old?!

[dreamer24]

news.sky.com/story/woman-96-admits-causing-death-of-pedestrian-after-she-panicked-and-mounted-the-kerb-13204265

A 96 year old woman killed a woman in her 70s after she lost control of her car. Due to be sentenced on Monday, apparently. It's obviously completely tragic that a woman has died, but I can't imagine a woman who is almost 100 will get a custodial sentence?

Prince Philip (97) wasn't prosecuted when he pulled out onto a busy road in Norfolk and collided with a Kia. Two women in the Kia needed hospital treatment, one had a broken wrist. Fortunately, a nine-month-old baby boy in the Kia was unhurt.

Plenty people around Prince Philip knew he was unsafe,

this lady looks pretty competent.

My neighbour is late 80s and a great driver. He had a sports car until last year. He is fit and well and often gets back from the gym while I am having my first coffee of the day. If we want people to have regular health reviews and driving tests that should include all drivers according to evidence. We might start with young male drivers (17-24) who are the most likely to be convicted of dangerous driving and drink /drug driving too.

I have an elderly relative with dementia who was cleared for driving at a point where she couldn’t remember where she was or what she was doing on any given day. The family took the car away after she drove off and got lost one day.

There needs to be a much more thorough testing system past 80 years old imo.

He wasn’t prosecuted because he surrendered his licence, quite common with minor collisions involving elderly drivers.

Trying to keep her independence, with often poor public transport, and no self driving cars this will happen

It doesn't have to be a re-test, it could be a doctor's confirmation.

Plenty of people have medical licenses and have to be reassessed regularly. I do and I don't begrudge it because I take driving a machine with the potential to to kill really seriously. If my symptoms are bad I would never drive, licence or not. We all have a responsibility to determine whether we are safe to drive before we get in the car and to stop it we feel unsafe when driving.

I worked with someone whose mother in law was in her nineties, and still driving.
The family took matters into their own hands and stopped her driving after she'd told them that the day before she'd driven down to the village (fortunately she lived in a tiny hamlet) and 'something didn't feel right but she couldn't work out what it was'.
When they looked in the car, the driver's seat was fully reclined. If you can't work that out, you absolutely should not be getting behind the wheel.
It was much more luck (and location) than judgement that she didn't have an accident. Or much worse.

I fully get how much cars give us independence, I can't walk more than a few hundred metres a day so absolutely depend on mine. But that independence should not be at the expense of risking other people's lives (and ruining our own)

Data from 2023
"There are now 1.65 million holders of full driving licences in Great Britain aged 80 or over.
Data from the DVLA shows that this age group now makes up 4% – or about 1 in every 25 – of all full licence holders in the country.
According to the same data there are now 5.97 million full licence holders aged 70 or over, including 510 aged 100 or over.
The oldest holder of a full licence is 108."

She took a life. Of course she can go to jail. I feel she should. Too many older people are not ok yo be driving. I definitely think that there should be an age above which noone can drive without advanced licencing.

It is madness to allow anyone at all out on the roads.

Why is this relevant? Nothing will bring back the person who died, up to and including capital punishment.

I do ferry my elderly mother around after she decided for herself, no accidents or injuries involved, that a combination of slowing reflexes and arthritis meant she was unlikely to be safe driving much longer. I am grateful she was responsible.

My friend's husband is late 70s, has dementia and diabetes. He is still allowed to drive!
I have been in the car with him after he had a meal, and he actually fell asleep at the wheel and veered over into the other lane. Terrified me, but his wife was busy nattering in the back seat and didn't even notice. I did tell her. This was years ago, and he is still driving.

It is madness to allow anyone at all out on the roads.

Errm - what?

Thats an exceptional case 100yo for a start.

And the only driving manoeuvre shown (turning into the road at the 1 min mark) she clipped the corner!!! 🤣

But no sorry I disagree. I work in a care home. I’m well aware of what the range of ageing is; both of those in care and those independent elderly who visit. The carpark can be entertaining during breaktimes.

Do you think under 25s should be allowed to drive then? Doesn't their poor decision-making and impulsiveness make them more dangerous drivers? The cost of insurance for young drivers would suggest so. It's not just the penalty for being a new driver as older, recently qualified aren't charged the same for insurance.

Maybe a more intense and strict driving test for under 25s could be a solution.

Does that apply to disabled people too or is it just elderly people who get a free pass to drive because otherwise someone will have to ferry them around?

Like many others who are far younger than pension age I have to reapply every three years and go for medical tests. If I lose my licence I can't get to work or get my children to hospital appointments or school. But I don't see anyone wringing their hands about my lack of independence if that happens. And I would accept it, because if I am not safe to drive then I shouldn't be on the road.

Oh I definitely think they should have a restricted licence. But they do to a degree don't they? For first year or two you can lose your licence far more likely easily

I think there should be a rule that you need some sort of competency test every couple of years after the age of 75.

How do you stop someone determined to drive though?
MIL is her 80s, still drives everywhere (and so far still more than capable to)
If for some reason she suddenly couldn't or started to recline in reflexes, she wouldn't take kindly to it or give up easily.
Wouldn't be our fault, she's a grown adult with choices!

I’d have no issue with everyone retaking every 5 years regardless of age, if that makes you feel happier. I don’t think nervous 25 year olds who won’t go above 40 or overtake on a motorway should be driving either.
@Saschka Sorry but I don't think this makes much sense.

Some people when they pass their test may be full of confidence. Over confident even. Isn't it the case that most accidents are caused by young men? Presumably young men who are supremely confident about what good drivers they are. Except they are actually still very inexperienced.

So a newly qualified driver being a bit nervous and over cautious seems perfectly normal and understandable to me. Presumably this wears off fairly soon as they get more experience.

If you are going to ban nervous new drivers then the only people on the road would be the ludicrously over confident with no reason to be.

I don't see how people can commit a crime and then 'they are old, they have kids, they are a single parent, they will lose their job, they had a bad childhood' you commit a crime you get punished