Teenager died after dementia sufferer, 89, drove wrong way on road (From Bucks Free Press)

Teenager died after dementia sufferer, 89, drove wrong way on road

5:41pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in Marlow By James Nadal

TEENAGER Charlotte Pitwell died after an 89-year-old motorist suffering from dementia drove the wrong way down a dual carriageway and hit the car she was travelling in, an inquest heard today.

Charlotte, 19, from Booker, was a passenger in a car driven by a friend on the A404 Marlow Bypass.

She died last September after the car she was in was hit by Stanley Tomlinson, who was later found to have dementia.

She was wearing a seatbelt but was flung into the road where she was hit by another vehicle.

Now her grieving family are calling for a change to the law on elderly drivers and Coroner Richard Hulett said at the inquest that politicians should turn their attentions to the issue.

Charlotte’s grandmother Stella and father Andy told the BFP they had a simple message to David Cameron – “change the law”.

Mr Pitwell, 42, a lorry driver from High Wycombe, said he will now lobby the PM and law-makers to make certain in future elderly motorists are tested to ensure they are still fit to drive.

Mr Tomlinson survived the accident with minor injuries but died earlier this year of natural causes.

At the time of the accident it was not known that Mr Tomlinson had dementia, which was diagnosed later, following tests.

The visibly distressed family said they missed Charlotte deeply.

Mr Hulett returned a narrative verdict.

More later.