A 70-year-old man had a lucky escape after his car plunged into cold waters. The man had been taking an evening drive around the New Forest before attempting to complete a turn in the road, but instead accidentally reversed down a boat launch.
The incident happened on February 2, but luckily residents in the area were nearby to swiftly lift the man from the cold waters. Images reveal that his car was fully submerged, and the man was rushed to hospital for a health check-up, reports Wiltshire Live.
It is understood that the driver was later diagnosed with vascular dementia, which presents as episodes of confusion. The deteriorating condition is said to affect 150,000 people in the UK, according to the NHS.
Read more: Warning as people told not to swim at eight popular West Country beaches - full list
The man, from Southampton, has since surrendered his driving licence, and New Forest Heart police claims "it is lucky that he did not lose his life that evening". The force has issued new advice regarding older drivers, taking to social media to inform residents about the importance of regular health checks for older people before driving.
Sergeant Nick Tucker, said: “We all grow older, and our eyesight and some of our abilities diminish over the course of time. We do not always know, notice or realise that this is happening to us over the years. If you have an older relative or friend who drives, speak to them about their driving and how they feel about it.
"Remind and encourage them to have their eyesight routinely checked and if they have any concerns about their health, have them speak to their GP about driving. With the support of this driver and his family we wanted to highlight this incident to show the real life implications of growing older and driving. He surrendered his driving licence with dignity. It is lucky that he did not lose his life that evening."
The team is said to work closely with The Older Drivers Forum, which is non-for-profit organisation that aims to keep pensioners safe on the road. The group is made up of road safety experts including representatives from emergency services, charities, local authorities and businesses.
Sergeant Tucker explained: "We work closely with The Older Drivers Forum whose work is all about keeping mature motorists on the road safely for longer. Whether that’s helping by giving practical and informative help and support to continue driving or pointing people in the right direction for an assessment to identify their driving needs – from wing mirror adapters to an elevated driving seat – the Forum’s here to help and signpost you to the people to help.
“The Forum is a not-for-profit organisation made up of experts in road safety – from representatives from the emergency services, to charities, local authorities and businesses specialising in keeping older people on the road."
Another officer from the New Forest Heart Cops added that "the key message is about not becoming complacent about our driving." H also said that drivers should take early precautions to reduce the chances of similar accidents from happening.
He also said: "We know that many older drivers have a wealth of experience however as we get older our sight, hearing, reaction times and judgement of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was. We often pick up bad habits which become the norm without being aware of it.
"The Older Drivers Forum can help by giving advice on voluntary driving appraisals to suit your needs or build confidence. Our advice is don’t wait until you have a near miss, or worse, an accident to convince you to review your driving ability or to stop driving. Instead take preventative measures by planning ahead and seeking advice and support early."
Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android
