‘I lost my dad in nightmare A5 crash ten years ago - I want to see drivers retested as it’s a privilege not a right’

Charlie Massey, 29, and her mum Sarah lost beloved father and husband Ian Massey after a 78-year-old woman drove the wrong way on the busy A-road, which runs from Wales to London through areas like Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

The 51-year-old father-of-four, from Enderby in Leicestershire, was on his way home from work to a festive family gathering on his motorbike when he was struck by a vehicle going the wrong way on the A5 near Bittesby, near Magna Park, at 6.15pm on December 29, 2015. 

Charlie, who is based in Leicester but is a known face in the Birmingham community, said her father was the ‘glue that held their family together’ and many of their relatives struggled to cope with their grief following his death. 

Speaking to the Express & Star, she explained: “It feels like it was just yesterday he was late coming home from work, but it feels like 100 years too. My family has suffered unspeakably in the ten years since my dad was killed, it's very hard to find words to express the loss of a dad.

My dad was the glue of our family, and losing him was so catastrophic that, even 10 years later, we still haven’t fully recovered. I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what we’ve been through.

“We were very lucky that we didn’t lose our home after my dad died, but that isn’t the case for the majority of people. We were fortunate to find a really good solicitor who helped us keep our home; many others don’t have that support. I'm so proud of my family for how we've managed to crawl through the terrible cards we've been dealt.

“They lose the person who meant everything to them, and then they lose everything else as well.”

Pensioner Jennifer Arnott, who was a nurse for 45-years before retirement, accidentally drove the wrong way onto the A5 in the dark after stopping to check a map. Her licence was revoked before appearing at Leicester Crown Court.

She pleaded guilty to causing Mr Massey’s death by dangerous driving and was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years. The pensioner reportedly passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Charlie candidly told the Express & Star that she felt a lot of anger at the driver who caused her fathers death but after learning of the woman’s state of confusion and previous career caring for others she could see it was a ‘horrible accident’ and ‘served as proof it could happen to anyone’ without regular checks.

“It was a horrible, tragic accident — a mistake. At first, I was very resentful and I hated her,” she added. 

“But at court her confusion was very evident. Her barrister  explained that she had been a nurse her entire life, dedicated to helping people and at the end of her life, everything was turned upside down — she had killed someone. I felt a great deal of sympathy for her.”

Now, she is fighting to have drivers face mandatory retesting every 10 years as she believes that regardless of age many ‘become complacent’ resulting in more accidents. 

She said: “If people are retested and they drive constantly, it wouldn't be an issue. 

“I've said many times that I believe all drivers should be retested every 10 years, it is everyone's responsibility to ensure they are safe to drive.

“My mum keeps saying ‘it’s a privilege to drive, not a right’ and that’s so true..” 

Some parliamentary petitions currently exist demanding the Labour government to introduce  retesting for elderly drivers - with one demanding over 70s being automatically required to retest garnering only just over 300 signatures. 

The petition states: "We think this will make the road safer for everyone: motorcyclists, pedestrians and car users.

“This petition seeks to implement regular assessments of driving ability in older drivers: full driving retests, reaction time & hazards, manoeuvring ability and comprehensive eyesight examinations."

However, Charlie argues that it shouldn’t just be the elderly required to retest and that tests should be taken as often as licence renewals occur. 

The family say they have written to their local MP Alberto Costa about the issue. The Express & Star has contacted him for a comment. 

Charlie is in the process of setting up her own petition for mandatory testing.