Death of toddler Xander Irvine: Response to FAI recommendation expected in December

UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh told MPs that the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) was leading on the matter and was due to send her a recommendation by December 11.

Xander Irvine was killed in the Morningside crash | Police Scotland

Three-year-old Xander and his mother Victoria were walking on the pavement in Morningside Road on June 30, 2020, when 91-year-old driver Edith Duncan lost control of her Kia Picanto as she attempted to do a U-turn.  The car struck Xander and his mother before crashing into St Columba’s Hospice shop. The pair were rushed to hospital where Xander died. His mother was treated for her injuries and later released.

Last month, a fatal accident inquiry found that Ms Duncan was suffering from "significantly impaired cognitive ability" as a result of dementia and was unfit to drive or hold a driving licence.

Sheriff Principal Nigel Ross, who conducted the FAI, recommended a change to the system so that drivers over the age of 80 would be required to take a cognitive test before their licence could be renewed. He also said the change should be made "as a matter of priority".

At a meeting of the House of Commons' transport select committee on Wednesday, Edinburgh South West Labour MP Scott Arthur raised the case with the Transport Secretary.

He read out part of the FAI findings, which said Edith Duncan "was permitted to keep driving as a result of a serious failure in the present system, which allows drivers with dementia to self-certify fitness to drive".

Dr Arthur said: "Obviously that is really concerning."  And he asked Ms Haigh if she was able to act on it.

She said: "The sheriff principal from the inquiry has written to me and made a recommendation which the DVLA is leading on the response.  Obviously, there is a requirement when people's medical condition seriously alters to notify the DVLA. But the DVLA are considering how to respond to that inquiry and will be providing advice to me by December 11." 

Ms Haigh also told the committee she had been meeting road safety campaigners and work had begun on drawing up the first UK road safety strategy in over a decade.

She said: "I think one death on our roads is too many and I think we treat road safety in a way as if it's somehow a natural accident - if the number of people being killed on our roads were being killed in any other way we would be treating it as a pandemic.  I think we have normalised it for too long."

Afterwards, Dr Arthur said: “The FAI concluded that Xander's tragic death could have been prevented and made important recommendations regarding fitness-to-drive requirements for drivers aged 80 and over.

“After hearing from concerned constituents, I raised the issue directly with the Secretary of State for Transport. I was pleased that she was already aware of the case, and was able to promise a response. 

“Ultimately, we all have a duty to honour Xander's memory by taking prompt and decisive action.”