Saturday 19 January 2019

Should you be driving at 97.

I suppose I should start with an apology.
I have been under the impression that  due to his non attendance  at "Royal" occasions the English Queens  husband has been suffering from some form of dementia, or was physically incapable
So the news that hen is apparently capable of driving a Land Rover comes as bit of a shock.
Prince Philip, 97, was not injured in the accident, which happened as he drove a Land Rover out of a driveway onto the A149 shortly before 15:00 GMT.
The other car involved was a Kia. Two women in it needed hospital treatment - they have since been discharged.
Eyewitnesses said the duke's Land Rover overturned during the collision.
They said they helped the duke out of the vehicle. He was conscious but very, very shocked and shaken, they added.
Norfolk police said it was force policy to breath test drivers involved in collisions and both had provided negative readings.
The duke is back at Sandringham and has seen a doctor as a precaution.
A woman who drove past the crash scene - near Babingley, a small village north of King's Lynn in Norfolk - at around 15:40 said she saw an ambulance and "a heavy police presence".
"I was just going down the A149 … and saw a lot of blue flashing lights ahead," she said. "I saw a black, 4x4 type car on its side and me and my son were like 'oh my word, that doesn't look good'.
"Luckily it was just sort of on the side of the road, the road wasn't closed in any way.
"Obviously it looked quite smashed in. I'm quite amazed he [the duke] is okay actually."
orfolk police confirmed officers were called to the scene shortly before 3pm after a Land Rover and a Kia were involved in a collision.
It had previously been reported the duke had been driving a Range Rover.
The driver of the Kia suffered cuts, while the passenger sustained an arm injury, police said. Both were treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn.



It is commonly thought that you need to retake your driving test at the age of 70. But in actual fact you only need to renew your license at the age of 70 and never need to retake your test.



The DVLA advice is


There’s no legal age at which you must stop driving. You can decide when to stop as long as you don’t have any medical conditions that affect your driving. Find out how changes to your health can affect your driving and how to give up your licence, if needed.

What you need to consider as an older driver


Unless your health or eyesight suddenly get worse, it can be difficult to know when you should stop driving.

Your safety and the safety of other road users are the most important things to consider. If you’re concerned that your driving is not as good as it was and you may be putting yourself or other road users at risk - stop before you have an accident.



It may be time to give up driving if:

  • your reactions are noticeably slower than they used to be
  • you find traffic conditions increasingly stressful
  • your eyesight is getting worse
  • you have a medical condition that may affect your ability to drive safely – ask your GP for advice.
I can only assume that Prince Phillip has met all the criteria and is fit to drive.

It would not be a chore for him to give up driving as he already had a bodyguard with him. Indeed you would be forgiven for assuming al the senior members of the "Royal" family would be driven by a trained bodyguard capable of taking evasive action.

Since I don't my self drive I have no idea what it actually entails or whether age can make you a bad driver.

Certainly many would wonder why someone at 97 and in ill health  has a driving licence , but others may take the view as long as they meet the criteria they should not be discriminated because of their age.

It will be interesting if we get an impartial  police report on the accident including any prosecution, but i doubt it.

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