WINIFRED Robinson firmly believes “older drivers are more careful than some of the younger ones”.
The 83-year-old Newtownabbey grandmother and soon-to-be-great-grandmother, only passed her driving test when she was in her fifties.
Mrs Robinson’s late husband Tom encouraged her to get her test “in case anything happened to him”.
“My husband always wanted me to do my driving test.
“He always said if anything happened to him I would be stuck and not able to get anywhere. He was right because our home is a mile away from any shops.
“When I started to drive at first I worked in Mallusk. My husband used to pick me up coming out of the office and make me drive home. He did this for quite a wee while because it was a very, very busy road. I thought I was driving well so I decided to try the test.”
Mrs Robinson went to a driving instructor to learn the finer details of what she would be asked to do in the actual examination.
Her instructor told her she was “quite capable” but unfortunately for Mrs Robinson, she failed her test the first time round.
“I can’t remember what I did wrong – but I did something stupid.
“The next time I got it.”
The voluntary charity worker, whose husband died nine years ago, says she “did not drive a lot when Tom was living”.
The first few years after his death were “very tough”.
“After he died I didn’t want to drive his car. Two or three weeks later my son bought me another car. It sat in the garage for a couple of weeks and then a friend encouraged me to drive it.
“I have been driving ever since.
“I would be completely lost without my car. There are no shops near me – the nearest shop is around a mile away, but I am well fit to walk. In fact I belong to a walking group.”
During all her years of driving, Mrs Robinson has only had one “minor accident”.
“I went into the back of another car. It wasn’t serious and I didn’t hurt myself. There wasn’t much damage done.
“I don’t wish to boast but there is nothing that should stop someone my age with as good health as I have from driving.
“In fact, I would say older drivers are more careful than some of the younger ones.”