UK Government pledges action over cognitive test for older drivers in wake of tragic death of Edinburgh toddler
A UK Government minister has pledged action over the proposed introduction of cognitive tests for older drivers in the wake of Edinburgh toddler Xander Irvine's tragic death five years ago.
Three-year-old Xander died after being hit by a car which mounted the pavement in Morningside Road. A fatal accident inquiry found that the 91-year-old driver was suffering from "significantly impaired cognitive ability" as a result of dementia and was unfit to drive.
The FAI recommended that drivers over the age of 80 should in future be required to take a cognitive test before their licence could be renewed. And it recommended the change should be made "as a matter of priority".
Edinburgh South West Labour MP Scott Arthur raised the issue during a House of Commons debate on the Government's road safety strategy, which includes a commitment to "consult on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over age 70 and develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers".
Dr Arthur said: "In 2020, Xander Irvine, who was just three years old, was looking through a shop window in Edinburgh with his mother, when a car mounted the pavement, killing him and injuring his mother.
"The driver was aged 91 and she died around a year later of natural causes. Despite having dementia, she was able to renew her driving licence just a few months before the accident.
"The fatal accident inquiry was clear in its recommendation that cognitive tests should be introduced. I believe that all deaths on our roads are preventable; this death was absolutely preventable.
"The strategy talks about 'developing options', but will the Minister go further today and guarantee that we will deliver in this area? Will she go even further and talk about a timeline for delivering that change?"
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood said she had handled the FAI report on the "utterly heartbreaking" case.
And she said: "While there is not currently a suitable test of cognitive ability to drive safely, I recognise the need for us to do further work on the issue. We plan to reconvene the older drivers taskforce and expert groups on this subject to consider suitable options.
"I do not intend to delay - I intend to take evidence and to take action."
Dr Arthur said afterwards: “Xander’s death was a defining moment for me during the Covid pandemic, and I am determined that the government uses every tool at its disposal to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
“I am encouraged by the Minister’s commitment to further work on cognitive testing for older drivers and look forward to seeing tangible progress on this important issue soon.”
The Government’s road safety strategy, the first in a decade, aims to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 65 per cent by 2035.
Other measures include a mandatory time between the theory and practical parts of driving test to encourage more learner driver experience, and reforms to motorcycle training and licensing. There will also be tighter restrictions on ghost number plates and uninsured drivers.
Some proposed measures could also bring the rest of the UK into line with Scotland. This includes drink driving limits, which could see England’s legal levels being lowered to match Scotland, with a proposed reduction of limits to 22 mgs per 100 millilitres.
The Government will now begin public consultations on proposed measures.