SUNDRE – A relatively rare incident involving a motor vehicle collision that occurred in Sundre and required an extrication serves as a sobering reminder about the importance of elder drivers regularly checking in with their doctors.
In the lead-up to the Thanksgiving long weekend, the Sundre Fire Department responded on Thursday, Oct. 10 to what might otherwise have been a deadly crash just east of the Red Deer River bridge.
“It’s very seldom we have a significant motor vehicle collision in town,” said Sundre Fire Department Chief Ross Clews.
The fire chief said a Ford Ranger pickup truck was struck on the driver’s side and subsequently flipped onto its passenger side.
The driver did not sustain serious injuries as a result of the crash but was left trapped in the vehicle, he said.
“We had to remove the roof to actually get the patient out on that one.”
The collision occurred on the east side of town at the intersection of Highways 27 and 760, essentially in front of the Visitor Information Centre, said Const. Kyla Currie, the lead officer involved in this investigation.
Both of the drivers were reportedly from Sundre, said Currie.
“The collision was caused by the male driver that was driving the truck that flipped onto the passenger side of this truck,” the constable said in response to follow-up questions.
The 88-year-old male driver of the pickup truck that ended up rolled onto its passenger side was attempting to make a westbound turn on Highway 27 from Highway 760, also known as the Bergen Road, she said.
“He turned out from Highway 760 westbound onto Highway 27 and didn’t see the vehicle that he struck as it was concealed by the vehicle he was waiting to go by to enter the roadway,” she said.
“It was an improper turn that led to the collision, as the male driver didn’t see the white car travelling eastbound.”
At the officer’s discretion, no charges were laid as a result of the crash.
“But the male driver had his driver’s licence taken away by his doctor pending a driver’s test,” she said.
Although neither of the motorists were seriously hurt as a result of the collision, the “male driver was taken to hospital to get checked out by EMS but was later released,” she said.
“I have checked on both parties and they are doing well,” she said on Oct. 18.
Currie said the incident serves as a sobering reminder for elder drivers to regularly check in with their physicians or schedule a driver’s test.
“He was going to give up his licence in November, so I think this just expedited it for him.”
According to the provincial government, a medical report form signed by a doctor is required for most licence renewals (Classes 5, 6, or 7) at the ages of 75 and 80 and then every two years thereafter.
Impending upgrades to the Highway 27 corridor expected to begin next year will include the installation of traffic lights at the intersection with Highway 760.
