Louis Thorold: Coroner raises concerns about over-70s licences

Louis Thorold pictured with his mother Rachael just hours before the crash in January 2021

A coroner says he will raise concerns about the safety of older drivers with the government following the death of a five-month-old baby who was in a pram on the pavement.

Louis Thorold was struck by a van on the pavement next to A10 near Cambridge, on 22 January 2021.

The 75-year-old driver involved was cleared of causing death by careless driving by reason of insanity.

The coroner concluded Louis died from injuries sustained in a collision.

Cambridge coroner Simon Milburn said he was concerned about self-certification of driving licences for the over-70s.

Shelagh Robertson's defence team said she had undiagnosed Alzheimer's disease at the time of the crash

He said he would raise the matter with the Department for Transport in a Prevention of Future Deaths Report.

He also said he would write to Cambridgeshire County Council asking for clarity on why a 30mph speed limit could not be implemented on the stretch of road where Louis died.

A criminal trial last year heard Shelagh Robertson - aged 75 at the time of the court case - turned into the path of an oncoming van, forcing it on to the pavement where it hit Louis and his mother, Rachael.

Lawyers for Ms Robertson said she had undiagnosed dementia at the time of the crash in Waterbeach.

Motorists aged 70 or over are required by law to renew their driving licence every three years, with Robertson renewing hers in May 2017 as she approached her 70th birthday, the inquest was told.

She applied online and declared she was medically fit to drive.

Due to the Covid pandemic, her three-year licence was extended until June 2021 - after the crash.

Louis was pronounced dead on arrival at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, while his mother spent 10 days in a coma and 118 days in hospital.

Loui's father Chris Thorold said he hopes the family can now move forward

A statement read to the inquest from Mrs Thorold said: "Our cognitive health and reaction time changes with time and this needs to be objectively checked.

"Mrs Robertson hadn't picked up her significant cognitive decline."

Speaking after the inquest Louis's father, Chris Thorold, said he hoped the coroner's action would lead to "positive" change.

"I can't even describe how hard it's been. I think losing Louis, losing our family and particularly the injuries Rachael sustained and the recovery journey she's been on, it's been incredibly difficult for everybody," he said.

He hoped that the family could now channel the "joy and love and happiness" Louis brought to their lives.

Det Sgt Mark Dollard from Cambridgeshire Police said it was important drivers were "honest" with themselves when it came to assessments of their driving.

Driving was a "privilege and not a right", he said.