A woman in Altamonte Springs was dealt a heavy blow recently, heavier than she may ever know. The woman was stopped at a red light with her husband and 1-year-old son in the car when they were struck from behind by an elderly driver.
The child, who had been strapped into a car seat, was reportedly launched forward and the husband’s head was slammed into the dashboard. Neither the child nor husband survived the crash. The woman suffered critical injuries, some of which she will recover from, some she may not.
When she awoke in the hospital, authorities tried to tell her about the accident and the loss of her family, but it soon became clear to them that she had no idea who they were talking about. The car accident had completely wiped her memory of her husband and child.
“There are no words to express the devastation that our family is going through,” said the husband’s sister. The family of the deceased husband are doing their best to help the woman recover, but there have been no signs as of yet to indicate whether or not she will ever regain the memories of her loved ones.
Police are still investigating the crash itself and have said that they believe the elderly woman that rear-ended the couple may have been driving well over the 45 mph speed limit at the time of impact. The 75-year-old driver also admitted that she did not apply her brakes at all before the collision, adding that she had no explanation for not doing so.
Should There Be A Maximum Driving Age?
Authorities say that unless it is revealed that she was driving under the influence of something, the elderly woman will likely not be charged with anything.
This incident rekindles a slew of questions regarding elderly drivers and their capabilities on the road. It’s nothing new that many would have driver’s licenses confiscated from many drivers over a certain age. Do you think there should be a maximum age limit for drivers’ licenses?