A lorry driver who crashed into a JCB digger, killing its driver instantly, has been jailed.
John Rogerson, of Innerleithen, in the Scottish Borders, hit the JCB driven by Stephen Clarehugh on the A1 near Alnwick, Northumberland, on 9 December 2015.
Rogerson, who later failed a mandatory eye test, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
At Newcastle Crown Court, the 72-year-old was jailed for 28 months.
He was also banned from driving for six years and two months.
The crash happened two miles (3km) south of Alnwick as Rogerson was travelling from Scotland.
Father-of-two Mr Clarehugh, 54, had been a microlight instructor.
In a family statement, his wife Fiona said it was “such a bitter irony that a man who spent thousands of hours safely teaching people to fly, in an environment thought by so many to be so dangerous, should be tragically killed in a road traffic accident - so much life, ended in the blink of an eye”.
Sgt Jason Ryder, of Northumbria Police, said: “The mandatory eye test shows that John Rogerson wasn’t fit to drive and the fact that he was behind the wheel of an HGV is particularly shocking for me.”
If you want to drive at this age the least you can do is make sure you’re fit to drive. I’d have given him a life sentence with absolutely no chance of getting his licence back
I just think it very sad that his 53 year blameless driving career has ended in this awful way.
I suppose he thought his many years experience would compensate for his failing health issues.
I suppose the doctor or optician who checked him should have notified his employers.
All very very sad.
This is why I don’t agree with some of the advice given by some on how to get an “Easy” medical pass when renewing your licence entitlement.
How would you feel if you had renewed your licence when you were aware that you had possible health issues and this led to someone losing their life, it ain’t worth it!
I require a medical every year now, and I would prefer to know if I had a health issue!
bestbooties:
This is why I don’t agree with some of the advice given by some on how to get an “Easy” medical pass when renewing your licence entitlement.
How would you feel if you had renewed your licence when you were aware that you had possible health issues and this led to someone losing their life, it ain’t worth it!
I require a medical every year now, and I would prefer to know if I had a health issue!
Easy solution - do the free annual NHS well person health check and a cheap or free annual eye test = better than the once every 5 year D4 medical
