by: andrew duffy
a grieving ottawa family says their mother might still be alive if the ministry of transportation did not rely on fax machines to receive critical medical information about the province’s drivers.
nyla and robert matuk say their mother, dr. naeema matuk, should not have had her licence renewed in may 2020, two months after a doctor advised the mto that it was dangerous for her to continue driving because of cognitive decline.
the mto said it did not receive the fax.
dr. matuk died from the catastrophic injuries she received in a single-car crash on carling avenue in july 2020.
the 85-year-old lost control of her car, swerved across several lanes of traffic and slammed into a house on the opposite side of the street. she died in hospital two weeks later.
“the question that must be asked is, ‘why was the mto relying on fax technology in 2020?” the matuks said in a written statement. “businesses and governments everywhere rely on much more certain and modern forms of information transmission, including email and online portals.”
ontario law requires doctors, optometrists and nurse practitioners to report to ontario any medical conditions, eye problems or physical limitations that make it dangerous for patients to drive. medical officials can be found liable for failing to report someone unfit to get behind the wheel.