Parents’ plea: medics must report people unfit to drive to DVLA
Call for new law after OAP defied warnings from two opticians and killed girl, three, on crossing
THE parents of a three-year-old girl killed by a pensioner who had been warned by opticians not to get behind the wheel have called for a change in the law to require medical professionals to report those unfit to drive to the DVLA.
Phil Clarke, 46, and his wife, Rachel, 42, who was seriously injured in the accident, said they had been left with a life sentence without Poppy-Arabella.
The couple said in a victim impact statement that they could not bear to have any more children following the loss of their beloved daughter.
John Place, 73, ran a red light at a pedestrian crossing and ploughed into the mother and daughter weeks after being told to stop driving because of his poor eyesight.
Poppy-Arabella, who had been on her way to a nursery near her home in Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands, suffered catastrophic injuries and died later in hospital.
Place was not even wearing his glasses at the time of the accident. Oblivious to what he had done, he only stopped when another motorist who had seen what had happened deliberately veered into his path.
As Place was jailed for four years at Birmingham Crown Court after admitting causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving, Poppy-Arabella’s mother told the court: “I know she loved me because she told me and showed me every day. She loved me wholeheartedly for three-and-a-half years. She had captivated everyone with her beaming smile.
“Mr Place violently extinguished the light she gave to all by fracturing her skull. The actions of Mr Place violently stole my daughter’s life from her.”
The court heard that Place had been told by two optometrists that he was not fit to drive, but despite understanding the warnings had chosen to ignore the advice.
Judge Simon Drew QC told Place that his stubborn refusal to heed medical advice had resulted in the death of a little girl. The judge said: “You had been told in clear terms that, even wearing your glasses, you were no longer fit to drive.
“Two separate people had told you this, one sat you down and explained that was the position. You were not happy with that and argued with that advice.
“You said you were going to carry on driving until your wife retired in September. That was a terrible decision that has had tragic consequences.”
The Clarkes’ lawyer, Richard Langton, said: “A lasting legacy would be Poppy-Arabella’s law, requiring any medical professional aware of a person’s inability to drive safely to report them to the DVLA so that their licence is withdrawn.”
After the case, Det Sgt Paul Hughes, of West Midlands Police, said: “Poppy-- Arabella’s parents continue to suffer enormously from their loss. Place should not have been driving that day as quite simply his vision was severely impaired.
“I hope that this case sends out a message to all drivers that you have a personal responsibility to heed medical advice and to ensure you are fit to get behind the wheel.”
A spokesman for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “This terrible case has highlighted why we need robust procedures in place to make sure that older drivers are not putting themselves and others in serious danger.
“Brake calls for the Government to make eyesight tests compulsory every time a driver renews their licence – which is every three years over the age of 70. We also recommend that older drivers visit their GP and have sight and hearing tests at least annually, or sooner if they notice a problem.”