Death of 86-Year-Old Driver in Karoonda Highway Crash Prompts Call for Changes to Driver Fitness Assessments – May 20, 2025

Incident Overview
The death of Edward John Raines , an 86-year-old man, in a crash on the Karoonda Highway in South Australia on April 12, 2019 , has prompted significant recommendations from a coronial inquest. Coroner Sally Giles handed down her findings on May 20, 2025 , highlighting gaps in the process for reviewing a person’s fitness to drive and calling for urgent reforms.

Mr. Raines was on the wrong side of the road when his vehicle collided with a semi-trailer. The inquest revealed that police had raised concerns about his driving just three weeks prior, but delays in addressing these concerns left him on the road until the fatal crash.

Coroner Giles recommended changes to how authorities handle at-risk drivers, including better use of interim licence suspensions and improved communication between agencies.

“It is not current practice within DIT to consider … whether interim action needs to be taken prior to the medical assessment of fitness to drive being completed.”
— Coroner Sally Giles

Location and Time

• Crash Date: Friday, April 12, 2019.
• Location: Karoonda Highway, rural South Australia.

Vehicles Involved

• A car driven by **Edward John Raines**, which was on the wrong side of the road at the time of the collision.
• A semi-trailer, which collided with Mr. Raines’s vehicle.

Injuries/Fatalities

• Fatality:
  • Edward John Raines died from “multiple injuries” sustained in the crash.

Key Findings of the Inquest
The coronial inquest revealed several critical issues:

• Three weeks before the crash, **SA Police Sergeant Mark Wright** observed Mr. Raines driving dangerously and submitted a request to the **Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT)** to review his fitness to drive. However, no immediate action could be taken to suspend his licence.
• Letters were sent to Mr. Raines instructing him to undergo a medical assessment, but he did not respond to them.
• Current policy does not allow for interim licence suspensions while awaiting medical assessments, even when concerns are raised about a driver’s competence.
• The time frame for addressing such cases has since increased from **31 days** in 2019 to **38 days**, potentially leaving unsafe drivers on the road for longer periods.

Recommendations
Coroner Sally Giles made several recommendations aimed at improving road safety and addressing systemic issues:

• Interim Licence Suspensions: The **Registrar of Motor Vehicles** should exercise discretion to suspend licences on an interim basis when concerns are raised about a driver’s fitness, pending medical assessment.
• Improved Communication: Faster and more effective communication between **SAPOL (South Australia Police)** and the **DIT** to expedite reviews of at-risk drivers.
• Expanded Communication Methods: Transition from relying solely on postal communication to using email or a combination of methods for critical notifications about fitness to drive and licence suspensions.

“These additional days represent an increase in the amount of time a potentially unsafe driver may remain on the road, heightening the risk to both themselves and other road users.”
— Coroner Sally Giles

Government Response

• Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis: Stated that the government would carefully review the coroner’s recommendations.
  

  “The government will of course look very closely at all recommendations of any coronial inquest.”
  — Minister Tom Koutsantonis

• DIT Spokesperson: Acknowledged the findings and stated that the department would assess the recommendations and work with SAPOL to improve processes.
  

  “We will continue to work with SAPOL on how we can further improve timeliness of communication to drivers.”
  — DIT spokesperson

Community Impact
This tragic incident underscores the risks posed by elderly drivers who may no longer be fit to operate vehicles safely. It highlights the need for a proactive approach to assessing and managing driver fitness, particularly in rural areas where highways often see high-speed traffic.

Appeal for Broader Awareness
While this case focuses on systemic improvements, it also serves as a reminder for families and communities to monitor the driving abilities of elderly loved ones. Early intervention and open discussions about transitioning away from driving can help prevent similar tragedies.