A woman in her 80s has had her licence taken away after a shocking near-miss with a child at a Colchester zebra crossing.
A woman in her 80s has had her licence taken away under Cassie’s law after a shocking near-miss with a child at a Colchester zebra crossing.
Essex Police were sent dash-cam footage of a red Ford Fiesta almost hitting a boy on a scooter as he crossed Highwoods Approach at around 4.20pm on Thursday, November 16.
The youngster only managed to avoid getting hit thanks to his quick actions in jumping clear of the car. The Ford failed to stop at the scene sparking a police investigation.
Officers visited the address of the driver and gave her an eyesight test, which she failed, and revoked her licence using powers under Cassie’s law.
The law was named after 16-year-old Cassie McCord who was knocked down and killed by an elderly driver who had failed a police eyesight test just three days before, but refused to give up his licence. The law gives police the ability to quickly revoke a licence of someone posing a threat on the roads.
Cassie’s mother Jackie McCord said although it was heartening to see the law being used to protect motorists and pedestrians, she would still like to see mandatory eye tests, especially for older drivers.
She said: “I think the very fact police are able to revoke her licence is a plus, I am so pleased they are able to do that.
“Without it the lady would still be driving, potentially putting other people’s lives at risk.
“But every time I hear about the law being used, it reminds me there are still people out there who should not be on the roads.
“It seems it is used only when something happens, we need to be more proactive, not just reactive.
“A car has to have an MOT every year to make sure it is roadworthy – why doesn’t the driver have the same thing?”
PC Rob Andrews, from Essex roads policing unit, said: “Dash cam footage is proving crucial for many road-related incidents as the evidence it provides is priceless.
“In this case, we were able to see exactly what had happened without doubt and took appropriate action. We often receive calls from members of the public concerned about their elderly relatives’ safety behind the wheel and where appropriate, in these cases our officers will have a conversation about their circumstances and discuss the implications their health could have on their driving ability.”
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