Dorothy Nias
20 Nov 2024 · Coroner Emma Hillson · Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
This report repeats 3 earlier warnings. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. confusion between brake and accelerator pedals in automatic transmission vehicle
“there were concerns raised by family members to Miss [name redacted] regarding her ability to continue to drive having had a number of minor incidents prior to this collision”
2. lack of mandatory fitness assessment for drivers over 70
“there is no upper age limit for drivers”
3. older drivers involved in fatal collisions
“28 fatal collisions had a contributory factor of a person aged 70 or over”
4. fatalities among drivers aged 70 or older
“14 deaths were people of 70 years or older”
5. serious and slight injury collisions involving older drivers
“310 serious collisions and 1,058 slight injury collisions.”
Linked reports
Identical hazardConfidence 0.95 · high
Earlier report
“At present there is no upper legal limit for drivers. Whilst drivers over 70 are required to apply for a new licence every 3 years there is no requirement for there to be any form of medical check to confirm their fitness to drive.”
This report
“At present there is no upper age limit for drivers. Drivers over 70 are required to apply for a new licence every 3 years and there is no requirement for there to be any form of medical check or assessment to confirm fitness to drive.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“no available evidence to suggest that [the deceased]'s age (87 years old), played a part in this tragic incident.”
This report
“Drivers over 70 are required to apply for a new licence every 3 years and there is no requirement for there to be any form of medical check or assessment to confirm fitness to drive.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“drivers who reach 70 years of age and are therefore required to reapply for their driving licence at that point(and thereafter every 3 years) do so via an online self-certification process and that there is no need for independent medical scrutiny”
This report
“Drivers over 70 are required to apply for a new licence every 3 years and there is no requirement for there to be any form of medical check or assessment to confirm fitness to drive.”
Responses
2024-0642-Response-from-Department-for-Transport.pdf ↗· Department for Transport
2024-0642-Response-from-DVLA.pdf ↗· Department for Transport