Elderly driver hit and run...bizarre story

[poohandwendy]

Very tragic story, but notice the quote near the bottom of the article. (bold emphasis is mine)

Elderly Driver Kills Pedestrian, Keeps Going With Body in Windshield
Friday, October 21, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A 93-year-old driver apparently suffering from dementia fatally struck a pedestrian, then continued driving through a toll booth with the man's body on his windshield, police said.

Ralph Parker of Pinellas Park (search) drove for 3 miles Wednesday night after striking the 52-year-old pedestrian with his gold 2002 Chevrolet Malibu (search), severing the man's right leg, police said.

A toll taker on the Sunshine Skyway (search) saw the body stuck through Parker's windshield and notified police, Traffic Homicide Investigator Michael Jockers said.

Authorities did not identify the pedestrian.

Parker was hospitalized overnight with minor scrapes, and was expected to be taken to an elder care facility, Jockers said.

Charges were not likely to be filed, because Parker did not appear to know what had happened, where he was nor the correct date, said Bruce Bartlett, chief assistant in the Pinellas-Pasco County State Attorney's Office.

"He may have somewhere in his mind have realized it was a crash, but immediately forgot about it," Jockers said.

Police took Parker's license, which he renewed in 2003.

"That was the one thing he had, to get in his car and just drive for the sheer enjoyment of driving," Jockers said. Parker lived alone after his wife died in 1998, according to authorities.

A spokesman for the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said the agency would conduct its own inquiry into whether Parker, who otherwise had a clean driving record, should have had a license.

Seniors age 80 or older must pass only a vision test when renewing a Florida driver's license.

They need to do an inquiry to decide whether or not this man should have a license? He's 93, hit a pedestrian, kept driving for 3 miles with a body in his windshield and through a toll booth, didn't know what happened or what day it was when they finally stopped him...but they aren't sure whether or not to take his license? Am I missing something here?

 

[nwdisgal]

That is a tragic story. Clearly, some people get to the point where they should not be driving. Sad for the family of the victim, sad for the family of the guy driving.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Very tragic story, but notice the quote near the bottom of the article. (bold emphasis is mine)

They need to do an inquiry to decide whether or not this man should have a license? He's 93, hit a pedestrian, kept driving for 3 miles with a body in his windshield and through a toll booth, didn't know what happened or what day it was when they finally stopped him...but they aren't sure whether or not to take his license? Am I missing something here?

I don't think they're saying that they're going to have an inquiry to see if he can keep his license, but rather to see if someone failed when they issued him his current license (which, I am sure he no longer has).

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

It can be really, really tough to get the elderly to give up their license. When my mom lost her sight, she clung to her license like a life raft--she was so sure her sight would return and she would drive again! She suffers from dementia,too, and let me tell you--it's not like you can reason with such a person. It's possible that he tested on a "good day". Not excusing it--there should be an investigation--but the tester may have been completely fooled.

I feel so sorry for both families involved. I'm sure the driver's family is kicking themselves for letting him drive, and of course the victim's family will never be the same.

 

[inaminute]

Am I missing something here?

The article states that his license has been taken away. The investigation is to determine whether it should have been issued in the first place.

How is the victim? Did he survive?

Edited to add: Never mind. I re-read the article. Homicide investigation was involved, so that answers my question.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

"I'll take special interest groups for $200, Alex"

"'This organization, one of the strongest lobbying groups in the nation, fights for the elderly, even against laws that make perfect sense.'"

"What is the AARP?"

"Correct!"

There should be laws that require seniors past a certain age to be recertified for a driver's license. Vision doesn't test reflexes or awareness.

There was an instance here in Richmond a few years ago where an elderly driver crashed through a storefront. I don't think anyone was hurt, though. And wasn't there another instance of an elderly driver who lost control and crashed through an outdoor market, I think in California?

I'm not saying all elderly drivers are bad, or that this driver was malicious. Driving laws are set by the states, and no doubt groups like the AARP would fight any attempt to make any retesting requirements for seniors, especially in Florida.

 

[Cindy B]

MY FIL is way younger than that and has given up driving recently.

He got into an accident, was confused and remained hospitalized over the summer.

We know there is a way in the state that he, as an elderly driver, could get his license suspended. It involves paperwork, doctors notes, and notarized information to go up to the state capital.


Like the other poster, My FIL was convinced he could still see and continued to drive after the incident. My DH and his siblings had to take his keys away. Eventually they had to take him to the Motor Vehicles for a vision test. If he failed the vision test, he couldn't drive. He failed the vision test.


We didn't know how bad my FIL's vision or driving habits had gotten before the accident.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I lived in FL 15 years until recently. This doesn't surprise me at all. I have to say the state really slacks off when it comes to senior drivers. It's horrible. You really do take your life in your hands on the roads down there. I once was stopped behind a car at a stop sign. Guess the person, a senior, thought he was too far out and just backed up right into me! How convenient! And he then took off!

Watch the senior development areas especially. There should be huge warning signals and lights when approaching one. One morning there was one loose on the road. Crawling along annoying everyone. Couldn't seem to stay in his own lane either. A bit down the road, he did hit a pole on the side of the road.

FL really needs to do testing on seniors better than the job they currently do...if they do at all. And I would think they probably shouldn't hand over a license for 7 years either! Test them annually at the least.

 

[ducklite]

Not mentioned in the article but on the local news around here yesterday, when asked how the man got in his windsheild, the driver claimed he had 'fallen from the sky'.

Anne

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I forgot about this - just last week in the parking lot where my DW works. My DW has a handicap permit due to her illness and she was parked in a handicap spot with another car parked to the left of her in the next handicap space. You know how they are divided with those white lines that are maybe 4 ft across so that the people in the vehicles have plenty of room to get out of the cars? Well an elderly man that had no business driving thought that those white lines equalled a parking space. He drove his Dodge pickup truck right into that small area - you do the math, Dodge pickup truck > 4ft wide. Dragged his front bumper down the side of DW's car and had no idea he was doing it. Several witnesses stopped him before he could do more damage. The man had absolutely no clue that he was making contact with my wife's car as he tried to get his truck in that space. Thank goodness that several people were there and could get him to stop before there was more than the $500 in paint damage.

The police told DW that they contacted DMV to look into having his license revoked, yet they sent him on his way driving. This was so minor with nobody hurt but the back bumper and quarterpanel of a Grand Am. What if next time this man doesn't realize he is backing over a person? Right up until the end he insisted that he didn't even realize what was happening.

I do have to give my DMIL credit though. She's 76 and a couple of years ago she realized her reflexes weren't what she thought they should be and she voluntarily gave up her drivers license and sold her car.

 

[bballmom56]

In NJ, they don't have to even pass a vision test to renew their license! There is no requirement other than paying the fee! I took my mother to renew her license when she was 82 or 83, so they know what she looked like - about 4'9" 85 lbs, and would get blown away in a light breeze. They happily took her picture for her photo license and sent her on her way. By the way, I only took her renew her license for her feeling of independence. I had not let her drive since she was about 80 and she never drove again. But NJ would have allowed her to!

 

[Poohnatic]

What's been amazing me and my stepdad is that this guy drove all the way over this rather tall bridge. The toll plaza is on the other side.

We're right over by where it happened. Hate to say it, but there are quite a few people over here who should have given up their licenses a long time ago.

Suzanne

 

[Talking Hands]

They have to have an inquiry to follow the law.

 

[froglady]

My mother still tells anyone who listens that "She (me) MADE me give up my car." As if she, who got lost walking around her neighborhood one day, could still drive if she still had her car.

Unfortunately, the first inkling families have that their elderly relatives shouldn't be driving is when they are involved in an accident. I didn't want that to be the case.

 

[Cindy B]

In NJ, they don't have to even pass a vision test to renew their license! There is no requirement other than paying the fee! I took my mother to renew her license when she was 82 or 83, so they know what she looked like - about 4'9" 85 lbs, and would get blown away in a light breeze. They happily took her picture for her photo license and sent her on her way. By the way, I only took her renew her license for her feeling of independence. I had not let her drive since she was about 80 and she never drove again. But NJ would have allowed her to!

Interesting, they made my FIL take a vision test. He is in NJ. This just happened three weeks ago, so I don't know if he was required because he was in an accident or it is new policy. He also has a court date pending for the accident which may or may not have something to do with it.

 

[Cindy B]

My mother still tells anyone who listens that "She (me) MADE me give up my car." As if she, who got lost walking around her neighborhood one day, could still drive if she still had her car.

Unfortunately, the first inkling families have that their elderly relatives shouldn't be driving is when they are involved in an accident. I didn't want that to be the case.

Oh yes, my FIL still says all the Kids made him give up his car. We hear that constantly. It felt terrible hiding keys but it had to be done.

 

[MrsNick]

I always chuckle (but maybe it's not really so funny) when some schmuck in the left lane on I80 is driving about 50 mph (or even 40 mph )holding everyone up, and it turns out to be an older driver with Florida plates (up north for the summer, I guess).

I think one issue here is that because they are over the age of 18, they are truly under the impression that it's a right (although if you flip open the Driver's Manual, it clearly says driving is a privilege.

We do not allow ten year olds to drive cars. Why? Because they are incapable of it. They do not have good judgment or good reflexes, which would make them dangerous to others on the road. Elderly people without good judgment or good reflexes should also not be driving. The question is, do you enact a law that says anyone over the age of 80 is not allowed to drive? Or do you test every person over the age of 65 to see if they are still competent to drive? How do you actually enact and apply a law to accomplish this? I'm not excusing our lawmakers from coming up with a solution, but I do think it's difficult. And as one other poster said, what if the person tests on a "good day?" I liked someone else's idea of making elderly citizens test annually.

 

[gshanny]

I am all for keeping a better eye on people getting licensed. We just moved last year and there were several reasons and this was one of them. We had a neighbor across the alley. She walked with a walker because her legs didn't move very fast anymore.She couldn't get along with too many people, we were one of the few left in the neighborhood. She never spoke to us again after she took out our bay window.
Just an hour before I had made my then 7yo DS and two of his friends get out of the pool and we walked across where she drove through. A half hour before I had been sitting on the futon in the bay window. We luckily were not home. We came home to fire trucks and police cars everywhere and my dad telling me to calm down, etc when I asked what was going on. Kind of funny now, but I never noticed my house for several minutes. I was too busy asking the police if she was ok, and then I turned........ the mess she left
We had good insurance and got it all fixed and then almost a year later her insurance finally caved and paid. We worried our rates would go up because the month before we had softball size hail do a number on our town. They paid out a lot on us that year.
The two most disturbing things were 1. the neighbor girl and her BF went running over and they had to pry her foot off the gas, she was still giving it full gas even after she had hit our house. 2. She told her DS she was going to keep her license. He assured me she wasn't and he held tough.
If you can't move fast enough to not need a walker then how are those same feet going to be able to react quick enough to avoid hitting people and other objects.

 

[WDWAurora]

You know, his doctor really should have caught this. If he has been diagnosed with dementia, his doctor should have had him go in for a driving abilities test. My mom, who is 55, was diagnosed with dementia a year or so ago. She was a decent driver, just too likely to get lost, so she only drove to the grocery store and to get her hair done. Her doctor had her sit for a test and she didn't even get to the driving simulation part before she failed. The doctor did this test all on his own, and we're glad he did. That guy's doctor slacked to not have tested him.

 

[experiment626mom]

My question is, why didn't other drivers call 911? You mean to tell me there wasn't another driver for 3 miles?!?!?!?