Motorist with dementia reverses into river
A PENSIONER suffering from dementia had a lucky escape when he accidentally reversed his car into a river.
The 70-year-old man had been driving around for several hours in the New Forest, in February.
The motorist, who was disorientated, tried to turn his car round but accidentally reversed down a boat launch into the Beaulieu river.
Nearby residents saw the incident and were able to pull him out of the car and take him safely to shore.
The man was taken to hospital but had no major injuries. However, he was later diagnosed with vascular dementia, which can cause episodes of confusion.
After the incident, the man surrendered his driving licence. Hampshire Constabulary are using the case to highlight the importance of older people ensuring they are fit to drive.
Police are also stressing that the families of older motorists must monitor their abilities when behind the wheel.
Sgt Nick Tucker, from Hampshire Police, said: “We all grow older, and our eyesight and some of our abilities diminish over the course of time. We do not always know, notice or realise that this is happening to us over the years.”
He added that those with older relatives who drive should “encourage them to have their eyesight routinely checked” and, if need be, “have them speak to their GP about driving”.
Sgt Tucker said of the incident: “With the support of this driver and his family we wanted to highlight this incident to show the real life implications of growing older and driving... It is lucky that he did not lose his life that evening.”
Sgt Dave Hazlett added: “The key message is about not becoming complacent about our driving. We know that many older drivers have a wealth of experience however as we get older our sight, hearing, reaction times and judgment of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was. We often pick up bad habits which become the norm, without being aware of it.”
Police are recommending people use the Older Drivers Forum, which offers advice on voluntary driving appraisals.
Sgt Hazlett said: “Our advice is don’t wait until you have a near miss, or worse, an accident to convince you to review your driving ability or to stop driving. Instead, take preventative measures by planning ahead and seeking advice and support early.”