Michael Luciw M1 crash death: Family say 're-test older drivers'

His family said Mr Luciw should have been alive to watch his baby daughter grow up

The family of a man killed in a crash with an 87-year-old who was travelling the wrong way on the M1 have called for older drivers to be retested.

Michael Luciw, 27, from Nottingham, was a passenger in a van that was hit by a Mazda Premacy, being driven the wrong way on the motorway by Albert Kenneth Newman, who also died.

Mr Luciw's family said retired people should undergo regular driving tests.

Age UK said it was "vital" older people could drive for as long as possible.

Mr Luciw's family are calling for a legal change to force retired drivers to undergo tests

The family described Mr Luciw, the father of a baby girl, as generous, kind-hearted and a lover of practical jokes.

"He had only just turned 27 and he had his whole life ahead of him," said his mum Andrea Shelton.

"He was looking forward to his baby's first crawl. Now he will miss all of her life through no fault of his own."

Mrs Shelton said her son had looking forward to his baby's first crawl

"It doesn't feel as if we have lost him - it feels as if he has been taken away from us," said Mr Luciw's brother Simon.

"There are so many things that should be put in place so things like this could be avoided. People are driving that shouldn't be on the road.

"The older you get, the more your reactions slow down.

"There needs to be some sort of test introduced, in a car with a driving instructor, so you get a true reflection of how good a driver you are.

"You get a free bus pass once you are in your 60s so people can't say they are going to lose their freedom if they have their licence removed."

The crash happened on the M1 near Kegworth at about 02:00 BST, police said

Mrs Shelton said Mr Luciw, a delivery driver, was on a long-distance journey with a colleague Andy Harrington when the crash happened at 02:00 GMT on 12 October near Kegworth, Leicestershire.

Mr Newman's car was heading north on the southbound carriageway.

Mr Harrington, who was driving the Ford Transit, said he had not seen Mr Newman's car until the last second.

"I managed to swerve slightly towards the crash barrier but there was nothing I could do," he said. "You couldn't even blink that fast.

"It lives with me. I still get sleepless nights. It's not something I will ever forget."

Andy Harrington, the driver of the van, sustained serious injuries in the crash

Mr Harrington, who sustained serious injuries in the crash, said retired drivers should have to undergo medical examinations.

"It's up to the government whether they listen to us," he said. "But if that driver hadn't been on the road that morning, Michael would still be here with his daughter."

Currently drivers over 70 in the UK must fill in a self-assessment form every three years to renew their licences. The form does not include a medical or driving test.

If tests were enforced Mr Luciw would still be here, his colleague said

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) which maintains the database of registered drivers said it had no plans to restrict licensing on the basis of age.

"Evidence does not show that older drivers are more likely to cause a serious accident than others," it said.

"The rules are clear that all drivers over 70 have to renew their licence every three years and have to tell DVLA about any medical conditions which might affect their driving.

"If we find evidence a driver does not meet the appropriate medical standard we immediately remove their entitlement to drive."

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: "We know driving often allows older people to have the independence to get out and about, go shopping and attend appointments so it's vital that older people are supported to continue driving safely for as long as possible."

For more on this subject watch Inside Out on BBC One East Midlands at 19:30 GMT on Monday 25 January and nationwide for 30 days thereafter on the iPlayer.