The family of a 96-year-old WWII veteran caught in a terrifying car accident that saw him ‘fly’ over a parked vehicle say they warned him four years ago to give up his licence.
Wally Whitworth was leaving Warringale private hospital after visiting his wife of 76 years, Jean, when he accidentally pressed the accelerator on his Ford Fairlane.
In dashcam footage that was later released, Mr Whitworth can be seen hurtling out of the hospital car park into a parked vehicle, leaving incredible damage in his wake. Thankfully he only sustained minor leg injuries.
Wally Whitworth (pictured) was leaving Warringale private hospital after visiting his wife of 76 years, Jean, when he accidentally pressed the accelerator on his Ford Fairlane
‘For the last three to four years we’ve been concerned about his licence but he says “I’ll drive until I’m 100,”‘ daughter Kerri Whitworth told Seven News.
His son Robbie concurred it was ‘like monster trucks had just jumped on the cars.’
The entire family agree he shouldn’t be allowed to stay registered on the Victorian roads.
The owner of the parked car Mr Whitworth crashed into released dashcam footage of the terrifying encounter on Thursday.
The video shows a dark blue Ford Fairlane come flying out of an underground car park at a hospital in Melbourne.
The car hurtles across a median strip, smashing a car’s windscreen as it is sent airborne and into the bushes behind.
‘Visiting a mate in hospital tonight, thought I’d found a great car park right out front. Next thing I know my rego is being called over the PA. I go out to find police, fireys (sic) and ambulances everywhere,’ the owner of the dashcam said.
‘For the last three to four years we’ve been concerned about his licence but he says “I’ll drive until I’m 100,”‘ daughter Kerri Whitworth (pictured) told Seven News
The car hurtles across a median strip, smashing a car’s windscreen (pictured) as it is sent airborne and into the bushes behind
The footage was captured in between Warringal Private Hospital and Austin Hospital in Heidelberg, north-east of the city’s CBD.
The driver thankfully was not in the car at the time of the accident.
The Ford Fairlane can be seen missing a large tree in front of the parked car by just centimetres before the collision.
It uses the parked car almost as a ramp as it launches into the air, as the back windscreen camera shows the flying vehicle come into shot.
Opportunistic dashcam footage has captured the terrifying moment a 96-year-old driver rockets out of a carpark and smashes into a parked car before being launched into the air
The video shows a dark blue Ford Fairlane come flying out of an underground carpark at a hospital in Melbourne
The car hurtles across a median strip, smashing a car’s windscreen as it is sent airborne and into the bushes behind
As the car lands, it again misses a large pole by inches, before swerving into a bush where it finally comes to a stop.
Several people can be seen coming into shot to check on the driver. A car also pulls over to assist.
The 96-year-old behind the wheel was taken to hospital, luckily one was not too far away.
The footage has sparked mass condemnation on social media with many questioning why the elderly person was driving in the first place.
‘At some point the Department of Transport needs to step in. There’s a minimum age for driving, there should also be a maximum!’ one person commented.
‘A 96yo shouldn’t be anywhere near a car!’ another said.
It uses the parked car almost as a ramp as it launches into the air, as the back windscreen camera shows the flying vehicle come into shot
As the car lands, it again misses a large pole by inches, before swerving into a bush where it finally comes to a stop
Several people can be seen coming into shot to check on the driver. A car also pulls over to assist