Yesterday our chair Rob Heard attended Windsor Castle for the investiture of his MBE, which was awarded by Prince William. Rob said ” It was a very humbling occasion and made all the more special by having three truly inspiring and supportive ladies with me. Firstly my wife Britt, who has been a real tower of strength and support over many many years. Patricia Colquhoun who started me on my journey to help and support mature / older motorists to carry on driving safely for longer, whilst recognising when is the right time to retire from driving. Pat lost her son, Neil, in a crash in 2011 when an 89 year old drove down the wrong side of a dual carriageway for over a mile before hitting Neils car head on, causing his untimely death. The elderly driver was blind in one eye and below the legal eyesight limit in the other and should never have been on the road. I was the Senior Investigating Officer for this case and this spurred me to take action and reminds me why we must never stop making sure we and others are safe on the road. After all, a car is a lethal weapon if we are not fully in control of the vehicle, as well as physically and mentally fit to drive.
Margaret Filley also joined us, she has been a great support on my work in this field, and actually allowed us to film her journey to retiring from driving due to Macular Degeneration diagnosis. Her positive attitude is an inspiration to us all and shows that retiring from driving is not the end of the world, but can be successful and upbuilding. My MBE is truly a team effort and I am grateful to all those who have supported me and colleagues in this important field of Road Safety over many years”