The mother of a Renfrewshire teenager who was killed by an older driver has welcomed new recommendations that those over 80 sit a competency test.
Shanneal Herron’s daughter Eillish was killed when an elderly driver reversed over her at a petrol station in Linwood.
Yesterday she welcomed a sheriff’s recommendation that all drivers aged 80 and above sit a brain function test when renewing their licence.
Sheriff Principal Nigel Ross, who oversaw the Fatal Accident Inquiry to the death of Edinburgh toddler Xander Irvine, described the current system for issuing drivers licences as “defective” and urged tougher guidelines for those aged 80 and older.
Ms Herron, from Paisley, appealed for stricter rules for older drivers following her daughter’s death.
She told BBC news: “We get a driver’s licence at 17 years of age and…we never have to do another test.
“Can that be right? As we are getting older, we realise our eyesight is going, or reaction times are not fast enough.
“I’m definitely not suggesting that older drivers should be banned, definitely not. An elderly driver could sometimes drive better than a 20-year-old, but I do believe they should be tested to make sure everybody is competent.”
Eillish – who had been planning her 18th birthday at the time of her death – was mowed down by Alexander Wotherspoon on a forecourt in September 2014. He was 82 at the time.
He claimed the incident occurred due to a defect in his car but was found guilty of death by careless driving following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.
The family of the former St Andrew’s High School pupil have fundraised tirelessly in her memory.
They spoke out following the FAI into the death of Xander, who was run over alongside his mother in Edinburgh in June 2020.
Ninety-one year old Edith Duncan was at the wheel of the car when it veered off the road in Morningside.
The FAI said Mrs Duncan, who was charged over the crash and died in May 2021, had “significantly impaired cognitive ability ” as a result of dementia and was unfit to drive or hold a driving licence.
It called for the system that determines whether a person is fit to drive to be changed as a “matter of priority”.
Sheriff Principal Ross recommended the current process of self-certification be limited to applicants under 80 years old.
He said applications for renewal should be required every three years from 70 onwards and any application for drivers over 80 should not be granted unless the driver has successfully undertaken a cognitive assessment.
The report acknowledged the measures would require change to primary legislation on a reserved matter and is therefore a matter for the UK government.
The DVLA said: “Road safety is our absolute priority and we are carefully considering the sheriff’s recommendations,
“All drivers must ensure that they meet the medical standards for driving and notify us of the onset or a worsening medical condition affecting their ability to drive.”
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