CALGARY- A deadly crash that claimed the life of a two-year-old girl is sparking a debate about if there needs to be stricter medical testing for drivers.
Mihnaz Binish died after being thrown from her stroller when a car plowed into her and her mother as they crossed Shawville Boulevard last week. It’s believed the 70-year-old man behind the wheel was unconscious at the time, due to some type of medical condition.
The tragedy has some renewing calls that drivers should undergo medical testing.
“Most of those conditions are increasing in prevalence, either due to lifestyle factors such as obesity, cardiovascular and the aging of the population,” explains Dr. Bonnie Dobbs, from the University of Alberta’s At-Risk Driver Centre. “As we get older, we are more likely to have one of the illnesses that affects our ability to drive.”
However, Calgary’s police chief says responsibility lies elsewhere.
“Nobody knows better than family members if somebody shouldn’t be driving, and it doesn’t have to be linked to the elderly,” says Chief Rick Hanson. “I think families need to recognize they aren’t doing a favour if they have a family member they allow to continue to drive, if they know this person is a risk.”
The driver responsible for last week’s crash remains in hospital, and investigators still have not been able to speak with him.
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