On Tuesday, Rebecca Harris MP and her constituent, Revd Brenda Gutberlet took their campaign calling for medically unfit drivers to be taken off the roads to the Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin.

Brenda, from Canvey, lost her Niece, Natalie Wade, in 2006 when she was hit by a car whilst using a pedestrian crossing near her home in Rochford.  Natalie was out shopping for her wedding dress when she was knocked down by an elderly driver who had been told by medical professionals that his eyesight was far too poor to continue driving. Natalie was taken to hospital but suffered severe brain damage from the collision and died 5 days later on Valentine’s Day 2006.

Ever since that tragic day, Brenda has been campaigning on behalf her family, with the support of Rebecca to change the law surrounding medical fitness to drive and promote regular eye testing for motorists.

Currently it is up to the driver to report any medical conditions, like deteriorating eyesight, to the DVLA, which the driver who killed Natalie did not do, not doctors or optometrists. The minimum visual acuity test to get behind the wheel of reading a number plate from 20m in good daylight has also not changed since it was introduced in 1937, despite the fact that this does not include testing peripheral vision.

The meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport was set up by Rebecca, and Brenda got the chance to raise many of the key points that she believes the Government needs to address when it comes to drivers’ medical fitness to get behind the wheel.

Some of the key issues discussed were:

·         Updating the Road Traffic Act 1988 to include a clear legal definition of what it means to be ‘medically fit to drive’

·         Amending the practical driving test to include peripheral vision in addition to visual acuity

·         Abolishing the current ‘honesty declaration’ which drivers sign when applying for a licence

·         Promoting regular eye testing for all drivers

Following the meeting the Secretary of State agreed to write to Rebecca once he and his officials have looked further into the issues raised by Brenda and Rebecca.

Reverend Brenda Gutberlet said about the meeting:

"It was a great relief after years of campaigning to accompany Rebecca Harris MP and be able to present and discuss with the Transport Minister our family's reasons for wanting changes to the Law on medical fitness to drive. It was like seeing some light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel for my family. The Minister was clearly interested in some of the points raised and will initiate further detailed investigations. This huge step forward on Democracy Day too! We now wait to see the outcome from our representations."

Commenting on the meeting, Rebecca said:

“I was pleased to be able to arrange for Brenda to meet with the Secretary of State for Transport. She has been fighting tirelessly to bring about changes to the law on medical fitness to drive on behalf of her family ever since that tragic day in February 2006 when Natalie was killed.

The meeting went well and Brenda was able to put all her points across to Mr McLoughlin, who was very keen to hear how she thought the law could be changed. Brenda particularly raised the important issue that at the moment the onus is on the driver to report changes in their medical condition, such as deteriorating eyesight, to the DVLA through an honesty declaration, rather than their doctors or optometrists

The Road Traffic Act has not been updated since 1988 and the current practical visual test for drivers of reading a number plate from 20m has not change since it was introduced in 1937! I hope that the meeting with Mr McLoughlin has given him some food for thought on what changes could be made to the law. The Secretary of State said that he would further look into what was discussed and respond to me in writing.

I will continue to support Brenda in her campaign because it is vital that we stop drivers who are not medically fit to drive from getting behind the wheel, so we can prevent other families suffering the same tragedy as Natalie’s.”

Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin said:  

“The case of Revd Gutberlet's Niece was very moving and I was interested to hear her views on how the Government could tackle the problem of drivers being medically unfit to get behind the wheel. I know Rebecca Harris and her constituent, Revd Gutberlet have been campaigning tirelessly on this matter, and I will certainly look into the issues that we discussed."