'Mum would be here if driving laws changed sooner'

Chantelle Cattermole said the new requirements would be a good thing

The daughter of a woman who died after she was hit by a car being driven by an 89-year-old man believes earlier changes to driving laws could have prevented her mum's death.

Rosemary Macandrew died after she was hit by Noel Maguire's car in a Waitrose car park in Newark, Nottinghamshire, in July 2024.

Now, as the government considers changes to driving laws, including medical tests, Ms Macandrew's daughter, Chantelle Cattermole, said she would push for stricter rules.

The new road safety strategy is set to be published by the government this autumn.

"I think it's a good thing," said Ms Cattermole. "Had these rules come in a lot sooner, I think we would have prevented a lot of deaths.

"My mum would still be alive."

On Monday, a government spokesperson told the BBC it was considering introducing new measures for over-70s, such as compulsory eye tests when renewing licences every three years.

Under the government's proposals, the drink-driving limit in England and Wales would also be reduced and people could receive points on their licence for not wearing a seatbelt.

Ms Cattermole said the government's proposals were a "positive step forward"

An inquest held into Ms Macandrew's death heard Mr Maguire - who died in March - admitted to police that he was confused when he hit the accelerator pedal instead of the brake.

Nottingham Coroner's Court heard he had damaged a car parked in the space next to his vehicle, then reversed out of the spot at speed after hitting the accelerator in his automatic car instead of the brakes.

Ms Macandrew suffered fatal chest injuries when she became trapped under the wheels of Mr Maguire's car.

The inquest heard the driver had been complying with the legal requirement for drivers over 70, to confirm every three years he was still able to drive.

After hearing no concerns had been raised by his GP surgery even after various health issues, the coroner said she would write to the transport secretary raising concerns about the self-certification system for older drivers.

Mr Maguire died of dementia and gangrene in both feet eight months after the incident.

'Important conversations'

Ms Cattermole, a former nursing assistant for people with dementia, said: "I know from my experience working with elderly people that health issues become more apparent as we get older - things like eyesight, cognitive decline - these issues mainly happen with age."

The 42-year-old, from Grantham in Lincolnshire, created a Facebook page called Older Driver Road Safety Awareness following her mum's death.

She said families should be openly discussing whether it was still safe for elderly family members to be driving.

She added: "[I would urge people] to have conversations [with their older relatives about driving] - they are important; not just for other people but for themselves, too."

Under new laws being prepared by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, drivers older than 70 could have to renew their driving licence every three years.

President of the AA, Edmund King, has defended drivers over the age of 70, saying they were "still relatively safe".

Ms Cattermole said concerns over changes for older drivers were "understandable".

She added: "I do understand - it's their independence - but we need to look at the bigger picture. Is it safe for you to drive?

"Our family will have to live with this for the rest of our lives."

A government source told the BBC: "In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying [on the roads each year], with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2bn per year."

A Department for Transport spokesperson added: "Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.

"Road safety measures have not been reviewed for over a decade, and we will set out the next steps for our strategy for road safety in due course."