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PLEASE GET THE HELP YOU NEED Crash mum’s plea to older drivers as campaign launched A MOTHER whose son was killed in a crash near Basingstoke involving an elderly driver has welcomed a new initiative that raises awareness about the potential dangers that face older motorists. Patricia Colquhoun’s son Neil, 28, was killed in March 2011 when his car collided with that of an 89-year-old man. The other driver was blind in one eye and the vision in the second was below the legal limit required for driving. Now an umbrella road-safety group has been formed across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to offer safety advice and information to older drivers and their families. The Older Drivers Forum consists of representatives from the county’s police, councils, fi re and rescue, Age UK, Age Concern, Institute of Advanced Motorists and Hampshire and Wessex Drivability. And Patricia, 62, said she hoped this was the start of a nationwide trend. “I hope it sets off a nationwide look into this whole business,” she said. “We’re all getting older, if we’re lucky enough. “I know it must be difficult for families to broach this subject, and this awareness week is to
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let them know what’s out there, and how they can address the situation. “If this had taken place a few years ago, perhaps my son would still be alive. “At the end of the day, it shouldn’t be left to people’s conscience to know when to stop driving – some people just don’t recognise their own problems.” The forum is running an older driver awareness week next week, which will visit six locations around Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including at Festival Place in Basingstoke on Tuesday. Sgt Rob Heard is the co-ordinator and chair of the ODF. He was the senior investigating officer on the Colqhohun case, and said the incident was pivotal in the ODF’s formation. “To me, the whole reason this came about was when I was senior investigating officer for the Colqhohun case,” he said. “Patricia was very passionate about getting things changed and I thought I had to look to see if there was an issue or not. “The focus of our campaign and key objective is to keep older motorists driving safely for longer and provide them with the support they need to do that. “We understand how vital it is for the older motorist to keep • Continued on Page 2
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