Prince Philip

[T6Beach]

Should he really be on the public road?
Should he be prosecuted? ( bet he isn't)

 

[jts46]

No he should not be driving
Yes he should be prosecuted if at fault

 

[Kirk]

Not sure where he could of been going? I suspect hw was just going for 'a drive', in that case he should stick to the private roads of Sandringham, it does make you wonder what would of happened if it was more serious for the occupants of the other car

 

[WelshGas]

Very ageist comments.

I doubt if he was unaccompanied.

Very telling that the occupants of the other car have made no comment.

If we go on age for driving ability then many younger motorists should never be allowed behind the wheel. They are more often involved in accidents, and fatal accidents.
That Kia must have been travelling at some speed to topple a Range Rover.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Yes he should be prosecuted if at fault

No-one should be automatically prosecuted just because they make a mistake and cause an accident. If they were, the courts would grind to a halt. But where a significant injury results, the CPS are much more likely to bring a charge.

To be guilty of driving without due care and attention (the most likely charge in many situations like this, although obviously I have no knowledge of the actual facts in this case) the prosecution have to show that the standard of driving "fell below that of a competent and careful driver". The driver's age or level of experience would not normally be factors in applying that test.

 

[westfalia]

Should he really be on the public road?

It´s the Queen´s Highway innit ?
I´m sure he´ll have a word in her shell.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Too much ageism going on in earlier posts.

From the:
BBC Reality Check

In November 2018, there were 5.3 million over-70s with full driving licences in Britain, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

There were 11,245 people involved in road traffic accidents where the driver was in that age group - a rate of two per 1,000 licence holders.

For Britain's 2.8 million drivers aged 17 to 24, the rate was more than four times as high, at nine per 1,000.

The DVLA did not provide figures on whether this simply reflected that the older age group were on the road less than the younger age group. However, a separate study from the National Travel Survey suggests that over-70s drive an average of 1,000 miles a year more than under-20s.

 

[T6Beach]

I have been in the car with my dad driving recently and I think they should have re-tests as soon as you hit 70, renewing the licence is not enough.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Too much ageism going on in earlier posts.

From the:
BBC Reality Check

In November 2018, there were 5.3 million over-70s with full driving licences in Britain, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

There were 11,245 people involved in road traffic accidents where the driver was in that age group - a rate of two per 1,000 licence holders.

For Britain's 2.8 million drivers aged 17 to 24, the rate was more than four times as high, at nine per 1,000.

The DVLA did not provide figures on whether this simply reflected that the older age group were on the road less than the younger age group. However, a separate study from the National Travel Survey suggests that over-70s drive an average of 1,000 miles a year more than under-20s.

I completely agree with the sentiment. No-one should be assumed to be a risky driver just because of their age. HOWEVER, while many (most?) 70-80 year olds may still have excellent faculties and are appear to be among the safest drivers as a group, from what I read there seems to be a significant increase in risk after age 80. A TRL research paper from 2012 said:

"Various crash studies and surveys have shown that older drivers are particularly over-represented in crashes at intersections, where typically the older driver turns against oncoming traffic with right of way on the main road." That type of accident can of course be very dangerous for all involved.

"The study demonstrated that older drivers tend to have reduced visual capabilities. In many respects, their experience enables them to compensate for these deficiencies. However, some specific changes in behaviour were observed that seem strongly linked to the tendency for older drivers to be over-represented in ‘failed to look’ accidents."

Obviously that's just a single study, and I'm not saying that's what happened in Norfolk yesterday.

But surely the aim should be to find ways to improve safety of/for older drivers, to enable them to keep their independence, rather than just saying "they shouldn't be on the roads"?

 

[Ting Tong]

What I want to know is who Phil insures with, because they are very good and got him a shiny new Freelander on his drive the next day.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-f...-duke-takes-delivery-another-land-rover-will/

 

[Gary&Heather]

What I want to know is who Phil insures with, because they are very good and got him a shiny new Freelander on his drive the next day.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-f...-duke-takes-delivery-another-land-rover-will/

That's just another one he can smash up when he's recovered and no doubt the boss has grounded him for a few weeks anyway

 

[Kirk]

They stopped production of the Land Rover Freelander in 2014 ?

 

[Ting Tong]

They stopped production of the Land Rover Freelander in 2014 ?

I was quoting the Daily Torygraph! Anyway, it looks like a Freelander to me (even on its side).

 

[Jabberwocky]

I was quoting the Daily Torygraph! Anyway, it looks like a Freelander to me (even on its side).

 

[Bramco]

Not sure where he could of been going?

Well, if you'd read the eye, you'd know where he was going - allegedly he's been a bit of a player in his time.

Probably just tiddlywinks.... probably a champ at something like that.

Whatever it is he's up to I want some - came with nothing and gets half of that wealth, lot's of foreign trips and lives to a ripe old age...

 

[Jabberwocky]

..............
But surely the aim should be to find ways to improve safety of/for older drivers, to enable them to keep their independence, rather than just saying "they shouldn't be on the roads"?

Entirely agree. Looking through the various reports of the accident I see it is alleged that the Duke claimed he was blinded by the sun. Hmmm......no doubt the police report will have something to say.

 

[westfalia]

I would love to hear his take on it.
Here is one of his classics.
"How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to get them through the test?" (to a driving instructor in Oban, Scotland, during a 1995 walkabout).

 

[Ting Tong]

Entirely agree. Looking through the various reports of the accident I see it is alleged that the Duke claimed he was blinded by the sun. Hmmm......no doubt the police report will have something to say.

Apparently both parties were breathalysed, so he wasn't blinded by anything else!

 

[Kevthegas]

 

[Zebedee]

A family friend is the producer of that programme on 100 yr old drivers. He could be in it!

Also when in PR did a lot of Royal Visits. One with PP was particularly memorable as we were instructed to remove a bus stop for the day so he wouldn’t have to walk so far from his car and also had to import a certain beer for the lunch as he preferred it to wine. I understand it came through in a diplomatic bag somehow! I just hope if I last that long I’m still capable of doing anything let alone driving!

 

[B J G]

Not sure where he could of been going? I suspect hw was just going for 'a drive', in that case he should stick to the private roads of Sandringham, it does make you wonder what would of happened if it was more serious for the occupants of the other car

Sandringham House is on the opposite side of the main road to the cottage/farm house where Prince Phillip actually lives.
It is a difficult road to join let alone cross over. Anyone who has stayed at either the C&CC or CMC Club sites will have found that.
Fits in with the fact that most accidents occur within your local area.
2 dark coloured cars involved at sunset, in a wooded area, may have been a major contributing factor.

 

[DavidS]

Lots of prejudice and too much speculation. Sad.

 

[ArunAlec]

I see he’s back driving and been “spoken to” by the police for not wearing a seatbelt!
Could have been a great episode of Police Interceptors ..... HRH in the back seat getting a police bollicking!

 

[GillianC]

I don’t know how true it is but reportedly the queen never wears a seatbelt when driving. If that is the case then she should be treated in the same way by the police as everyone else.

 

[Joker 1299]

View attachment 40786

They probably bought a job-lot! One for each palace plus a couple of decoys.