MP supports campaign to ban medically incapable drivers from the road

Tuesday, 10 June 2025 16:01

By George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter

An MP has called for medically unfit people to be prevented from driving following the tragic death of a pensioner.

Anne Ferguson was killed while crossing the street near her home on Market Street in Whitworth on July 11, 2023.

Vernon Law, whose van hit the 75-year-old, had such poor vision that he failed to read the top line of an eye test chart during a visit to Specsavers in Rochdale a month before the fatal collision, an inquest heard.

The 72-year-old, of Clough Road in Bacup, had been diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes a month but lied to an optometrist about being a driver and failed to disclose his sight issues on multiple DVLA licence applications, the inquest hearing at Preston County Hall was told.

Law later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to four years in prison and banned from driving for life.

Anne Ferguson’s husband David, who relied on her everything, ended his own life following her death, the inquest found.

This tragedy is why Rochdale MP Paul Waugh has joined dozens of parliamentary colleagues in demanding urgent changes to the law on medical reporting to the DVLA.

In a letter to the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, the cross-party group of MPs backed the campaign led by Susan Rimaitas. Ms Rimaitas’ mother Marie Cunningham and friend Grace Foulds were killed in Southport by a driver with a known visual impairment who failed to report it to the DVLA.

The campaign calls for mandatory reporting by medical professionals when patients are unsafe to drive; the creation of a system to share such reports with the DVLA and police; and stronger checks to ensure visually impaired drivers cannot retain or renew licences.

Currently, there is no mandatory legal requirement for optometrists to notify the DVLA when a patient is unfit to drive due to visual impairment — unless they judge it to be in the public interest. There is also no central system allowing such safety-critical information to be shared with police or included in driver databases.

Mr Waugh said: “We have seen in Rochdale the devastating consequences of the current law. Mrs Ferguson’s death was entirely avoidable — and yet she is one of many victims of a broken system.

“I fully support this campaign, and I commend Mrs Rimaitas for her determination to stop other families suffering as hers has.

“The law must be changed so that medical professionals are required to report unsafe drivers, and authorities are properly empowered to act.

“Myself and colleagues are awaiting a meeting with the minister to find a way to close this loophole and prevent further tragic and preventable deaths on our roads from reckless drivers.”