Scots toddler killed by pensioner with dementia who was 'unfit to drive'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Scots toddler was killed when he was struck by a car driven by an OAP who 'should not have been driving due to her dementia', a sheriff has ruled.Xander Irvine suffered catastrophic injuries when he was struck while with his mum, Victoria Irvine, in Edinburgh on June 30, 2020.

He was hit by a car being driven by Edith Duncan.The 91-year-old suffered from dementia and lost control of her Kia Picanto car in the city's Morningside Road at around 12.25pm on the day in question.Just 42 minutes later, the three-year-old passed away at the city's Royal Hospital for Sick Children, after being rushed there for treatment.A sheriff has now recommended that the current system of pensioners declaring they are fit and able to drive be overhauled, including limiting self-certification to people aged under 80 and requiring anyone over 80 to undertake a cognitive assessment before a renewed licence is granted.In 2019, the year before the fatal collision, Ms Duncan was involved in a previous accident, a collision in a car park, which was not deemed "significant in coming to a diagnosis" of dementia.A Fatal Accident Inquiry was held at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, and the written determination of Sheriff Principal Nigel Ross has now been published after the inquiry.The document states that Xander's death could have been avoided, as Ms Duncan should not have been driving at the time due to suffering from dementia.The determination states: "The cause of the collision was the loss of control of the vehicle by the driver and owner, Edith Duncan.

Ms Duncan lost control of the vehicle while attempting to perform a turning manoeuvre.Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.You'll receive daily