A HAMPSHIRE policeman who launched a support network for elderly drivers after a tragic crash death has won a national award for his work.

Sgt Rob Heard established the Older Drivers Forum in 2013 following the death of Neil Colquhoun, 28, in a head-on collision after a partially-blind 89-year-old drove the wrong way down the A30.

The officer’s efforts to raise awareness of elderly motorists’ issues were recognised by the ACPO and Police Federation last week.

The online forum offers support and reassurance for drivers over 60 and their relatives, assessing ability to drive after collisions and encouraging voluntary eye and driving tests to keep older drivers on the road for longer.

Dedicating his award to Mr Colquhoun and his mother, Patricia, Sgt Heard said: “I feel greatly honoured to have received this award. It feels a bit like winning an Oscar in the roads policing world.”

Chief constable Andy Marsh said: “I am very proud of the work Rob has done in helping to keep older drivers stay on the road, safely.

“At some stage, we ourselves will be older drivers, and most of us know older drivers now. This forum and its website are a fantastic resource to help inform and reassure.”

Sgt Heard has worked for the Roads Policing Unit for 22 years and advises the Government on its safety strategy for elderly drivers.