Forced surrender of driving licence

[bluet]

My 82 year old dad recently had a bump in his automatic car when his foot accidentally slipped from the brake to the accelerator. He damaged his own car, two others and my mum ended up in hospital with a broken knee cap and head injuries. He has, prior to this incident, had a trouble free driving history and a full no claims bonus for years.
The very morning after the accident, when my dad was trying to get some sleep after being at the hospital virtually all night, a female traffic police officer rang him at 10am to ask him how he felt about driving now... my dad said would feel ok... she said she did not feel that he should. She then proceeded to attempt to arrange a meeting at my dad's house that very afternoon to discuss him surrendering his licence.
Point A for question: We were unhappy at the speed the police contacted someone in distress. This could have waited I am sure.
Point B for question: Can the UK police do this? My dad is now getting phone calls every week from the police sergeant asking when he is going to surrender his licence... the other only option apparently is for my dad to be prosecuted for driving without due care and consideration, go to court and appear in front of a judge. Do they have the power to persecute a law abiding chap who is already going through a tremendous amount of stress, he is not driving because his car is damaged anyway... I understand that my dad will need to take another driving test and a medical if the judge thinks this is the way forwards.
My dad feels very depressed about losing his independence because of one isolated incident. Any advice would be gratefully received.

[ChuckFickens]

A) I'd rather they did act quickly to *** if a person is fit to drive seeing as the other option is to leave them to it for a little while and maybe let others get hurt.

b) yes

Although I am sorry to hear about your father if he is unfit to drive then he should be removed from the roads a quickly as possible.

And, if I was to drive into another car because I lost control of my vehicle I'd get prosecuted for driving without due care and attention, this is nothing to do with age, there is no reason for an elderly person to be given special treatment, they should be judged on their driving merits, age doesn't come into it.

[ChuckFickens]

The stars should have been "assess" I must have left the last s off!

[Nosha123]

I am sure this has come as a huge shock to him and you all... however imagine if the police hadnt acted and that your father is deemed to be dangerous to drive and then knocked someone over.. a child maybe.

It happens.. and a lot of elderly people probably shouldnt be on the road and drive dangerously... The roads these days are busy... and many drivers are impatient... He damaged three vehicles and your poor mum ended up in hospital.

Sorry to say but I think he should lose his licence - but for his own safety as well as others. I am sure he has had it a long time - and will be terribly upset to lose his independence.. but supposing your mum was even more injured... or a child had been involved.

Sadly there often comes a time when the elderly have to admit to losing some of their independence... and perhaps his time has come!

[jackthehat]

In actual fact, your Dad is getting better treatment; he's not being persecuted however distressing it may all be for him.

He is being offered an 'either/or'......if he surrenders his licence that will be an end to it.....if he doesn't, he will be prosecuted (like you or I would) and may end up losing his licence.

There is *no* entitlement for anyone to be able to drive a car.....I congratulate him on his unblemished driving record but perhaps it is now time for him to hang up his gloves ?

[joko]

i actually think my dad is not all that safe to drive any more...he is 82... whether you like it or not, people at that age have problems with reaction speed and coordination and get confused and flustered and distracted more easily.
i agree its sad for him - it would destroy my dad if they took his and i just hope if they do its not because of a serious accident.
he has forgotten some simple road rules, and his bad habits are exactly that...the other day he just slammed on in the middle of the road because a car was waiting in a side road to come out...he decided its better to stop for them than smash into them...forgetting about the car behind...he saw the car and panicked and made a stupid decision...it was not going to come out.
he also once turned left on a dual carriage way - from the right lane - swerved across and felt totally justfied as 'why should he have to go all the way round' - i said fine but you wait for a gap, you dont try to barge across ... hes cantankerous and refuses to accept his limitations - with anything - and everything is always someone elses fault...

he's never had an accident either though...

i will not report it obviously - (and generally he's a good driver, its just these occasional incidents) but in some ways i would actually be quite glad if they took his licence as its the only way he will ever stop driving...if only for my family and others safety

[bednobs]

personally i can't see why everyone is saying he should give up his licence. people are saying they shouldn't treat older people any differently - if you r dad was 50, no one would be suggesting he gave up his licence. I would suggest he asks the police woman to carry on with the prosecution. Don't see why he should take another test, until it's time to.

[Rosym]

Hia, we're making a TV programme about this, which involves putting people on a refresher course to prove their driving is still OK - if you're interested in this, by all means drop me an email at [email protected]

[bluet]

Thanks all for your well thought out responses. I think Dad is now coming to terms with this and I have advised him to surrender his licence. If we fought it and he took a test and passed, then further down the line something else happened, I/he would never forgive ourselves. Thanks again people.

[jackthehat]

It'll come to us all, I'm afraid......:o)

And better to accept it with good grace than continue to the point where the consequences are far more difficult for a decent man to bear.

Best of luck to him.