Six years ago, Brittney McDonogh’s parents were nearly home from a bike ride when a profoundly vision-impaired driver crashed into them.
Her father Adam was seriously injured. Her mother Carol was flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, but later died.
The driver had not reported his eyesight deterioration to Transport and Main Roads, despite being warned by doctors he should not get behind the wheel.
McDonogh is now fighting to have the Queensland government change the rules to make eyesight tests mandatory at various driver’s licence milestones, including when first applying or renewal.
“Queensland operates on an honour system,” she said.
“The driver didn’t report any medical conditions and didn’t cease driving, so he was able to go without having his vision checked, keep driving, keep his licence until he caused a fatality.”
In New South Wales, you must pass an eyesight test at a service centre, optometrist or ophthalmologist when applying for a driver’s licence for the first time, every 10 years if you are under 45 years of age, every five years once you turn 45 and every year from 75 years of age.
The Australian Capital Territory also requires eyesight tests.
However, in Queensland, the obligation to report vision impairment rests with the motorist.
Queensland drivers undergo an annual medical fitness-to-drive assessment with a GP from the age of 75.
Carol Ismail, 55, and her husband Adam, 56, were cycling single-file on Boden Road in the Moreton Bay town of Wamuran on a clear, sunny morning in 2020 when hit from behind by Ian Allan Field, who was 73 at the time.
During sentencing, Justice Glenn Martin said Field had been repeatedly warned not to drive by doctors due to his deteriorating eyesight.
“You’d been told that you couldn’t drive, you’d been told by doctors that you had to report the medical condition to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, but you failed to do that,” he said, The Courier-Mail reported.
Field said he had not seen either of them. He could not call Triple Zero because he could not see the numbers on his mobile phone.
In 2022, Field, 75, was sentenced to six years’ jail for dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, to be released on parole after 18 months.
McDonogh has launched a parliamentary petition, asking Queensland to introduce Carol’s Law, to mandate vision assessments by an optometrist or ophthalmologist when a person first gets a licence, at ages 50 and 60, then every five years until 75, and then annually from 75 years old.
McDonogh, coincidentally an optometrist, said routine eye tests often picked up eye diseases and other pathologies before people noticed any symptoms.
Her parents met when they were teenagers, with McDonogh describing them as soulmates.
“We’ve lived most of our life in a rural town, in Wamuran, on our pineapple farm, which is where they were cycling that day,” McDonogh said.
McDonogh said her parents became empty nesters after she and her sister grew up, and they found a love for travel, often adventuring with their caravan.
“My mum had a really strong sense of adventure, so she was always planning a trip, doing the next big thing,” she said.
“She was fit, she was active, healthy. She always wanted grandkids; she never got to meet her grandkids. She has them now. She was just a bubbly, beautiful, happy person.”
The petition is being supported by Bicycle Queensland and Amy’s Foundation.
Amy’s Foundation managing director Katey Bates said people riding bikes put their lives in the hands of every driver who passed them.
“You trust that they can see you,” she said. “Carol’s Law makes sure that trust is earned.”
Bates said the foundation supported the law because it put responsibility where it belonged, with the person behind the wheel.
“Too often road safety asks people on bikes to do more: wear brighter clothes, add another light,” she said.
“This asks drivers to show they can see the road. It’s the most basic requirement for being allowed to drive.”
Labor’s transport spokesman Bart Mellish said Carol’s death was a tragedy and a constant reminder to all Queenslanders they had a safety obligation before getting behind the wheel.
“I am keen to meet with Carol’s family to hear more about their proposal,” he said.
Asked if the government would consider mandating eye tests for drivers, a Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said: “All Queensland drivers have a legal responsibility to be medically fit to drive, which includes having adequate eyesight to drive safely.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
