The husband of a pregnant woman killed by a bus is calling for more thorough testing of older bus drivers, saying he breaks down crying at work every day thinking about her.
By Alexa Cook for RNZ
Olawande Braimoh, who was 36, was hit and killed by a 72-year-old bus driver in Napier on 17 April this year on a pedestrian crossing on her way to work.
The bus driver, Alma George Randell, 72, later admitted a charge of careless driving causing death, and was sentenced to a mixed sentence of community work and community detention.
The intersection where Olawande was hit is notoriously dangerous, and the council had received a number of complaints about the pedestrian crossings over the years.
Judge Earwaker said Randell drove onto the intersection under a green light and Olawande was crossing on a green signal.
However, Randell did not heed a sign requiring turning traffic to give way to pedestrians and, when he struck Olawande, he momentarily hit the accelerator in a "panic response", before applying the brake.
In an exclusive interview with RNZ, Olawande's husband Segun Braimoh, expressed his frustration over how the driver wrote to him as part of the court process, saying he didn't see her "until it was too late".
He feels that older drivers should undergo more rigorous and regular driver licence testing.
"If this driver was a younger driver I believe my wife would have been alive today.
"I try not to think about her yet, there is no single day at my workplace I don't break down and cry," he said.
NZ Transport Agency told RNZ that bus drivers who carry passengers must have a passenger 'P' endorsement, as well as appropriate driver licence class for the size of vehicle. As part of the renewal process, drivers may be required to provide a current medical certificate and must meet eyesight requirements.
"There are no additional age-based driver licence testing requirements that start at age 65. For all drivers, the senior driver licensing requirements begin at age 75.
"Drivers must renew their licence at age 75, again at 80, and every two years after that. Each time they renew from age 75 they must provide a medical certificate assessing their fitness to drive," NZTA head of driving regulation Chris Rodley said.
He said a medical assessment considered factors that may affect someone's ability to drive safely, including their physical abilities, health, eyesight, memory and thinking.
"A health practitioner can require further assessment where necessary, including an on-road safety test, specialist assessment or occupational therapy driving assessment."
But he said research from the Royal NZ College of GPs has found routine cognitive screening is not recommended.
"Health practitioners are best placed to determine what is most appropriate when assessing medical fitness to drive due to their medical training, ongoing relationship with their patients, and understanding of any underlying health concerns," Rodley said.
The police investigation shows the bus accelerated after hitting Olawande, and witnesses described hearing bus passengers scream as it happened, and seeing the bus keep moving.
Braimoh is speaking out about Olawande's death in the hope that it might result in more scrutiny of older commercial drivers.
"Not that it's going to change what has happened, but... no other family should go through this. And I hope that policies will be looked more into properly and so that someone is not going to end up that way too.
"People from 65 are retirees in New Zealand. And there's a reason why they are considered retired. But no one is talking about that," Braimoh said.
The family moved to Hawke's Bay from Nigeria in 2023 and when Olawande died, she was four months pregnant. The couple have an eight year old son and Braimoh told RNZ Olawande was looking forward to expanding their family.
"She was really excited about it. My son was really looking forward to having another baby.
"She cannot be the mother of her child anymore. She cannot be the wife to her husband anymore. She cannot have a baby."
Go Bus 'deeply sorry'
Go Bus declined RNZ's request for an interview and said in a statement that their thoughts are with Olawande Braimoh's family.
"Wande's death was a tragedy, and we are deeply sorry for the loss they continue to carry.
"The driver pleaded guilty in court, and we respect the court's findings. We cooperated fully with all external investigations. Hazard awareness is a core part of training for all our drivers. After Wande's death, we carried out our own investigation into the crash and reinforced our training on busy intersections," chief operating officer Ben Barlow said.
The company said all Go Bus drivers must hold the appropriate class of licence for the vehicle they operate and a passenger endorsement.
"To keep the endorsement current, drivers must pass an NZTA fit and proper person check and regular medical and eyesight assessments. Medical checks are required at least every five years, and more often from age 75.
"Before starting with Go Bus, every driver completes a driving assessment with one of our qualified driver trainers. Drivers have ongoing and random driving assessments throughout their time with us, and receive further training where needed."
The company said its driver trainers carry out unannounced driving assessments on an ongoing basis, rather than on a fixed schedule, so drivers can be assessed at any time. It said there is a dedicated, qualified driver trainer in Hawke's Bay who supports assessment and training locally, and drivers receive further training where needed.
GoBus said it met with Olawande's family in May, and remains open to further contact with them.
Worksafe and police confirmed to RNZ they are not investigating further, but the death has been referred to the coroner.
The bus driver resigned from Go Bus after Olawande's death.
Older drivers increase risk on roads
The head of Transporting New Zealand, Dom Kalasih, told RNZ that older drivers were often talked about in the industry.
"New Zealand has an ageing workforce in terms of commercial drivers... and it is important that industry recognises that and we know the risk increases so we do need to be reviewing the risk control is currently still appropriate.
"As drivers get older risk for fitness to drive does increase - best demonstrated that under our regulations NZTA require more stringent and regular checks as people get older," Kalasih said.
He said some good transport operators go above and beyond what's required for older drivers.
"More in cab assessments of drivers or they could be asking drivers to get medicals on a more frequent basis," he said.
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