Difficult to Solve

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 269, 1 November 1930, Page 13

Difficult to Solve

Problem of Unfit Drivers

A Medical Man’s Comment

Under the Road Traffic Act, which has come into force in Great Britain this month, all applicants for a motor-driving license will have to answer questions about their physical fitness and also disclose any factor which might make them liable to be a danger to the public.

“TJIHE QUESTION whether a man or woman is physically fit to drive a motor-car is not so easy to solve as at first sight appears,” writes “A Doctor” in the “Evening Standard.” “For example, does the loss of an eye constitute a physical disability sufficient to warrant the withholding of a license? “The answer depends to some extent on which eye is deficient. The other day I saw an account of an accident in which a one-eyed motorist was concerned. “The man who cannot see with his right eye cannot see anyone passing him on his off side as soon as can a man with perfect vision. “Again, will a man with deficient distant or near vision have to show that his sight has been corrected up to a certain standard with the aid of glasses ? “Will a certain degree of deafness debar a man from driving? The only disability of a deaf driver would appear to be that he might not hear a warning of approach. “A man with one arm could choose a car with the gear-lever on that side; but how is he going to steady the wheel while he changes gear? I know that some of them do this with the knee, but would it be safe to countenance this officially? COLOUR-BLINDNESS. “Traffic is being controlled more and more by coloured lights. “What about the colour-blind? The people who cannot distinguish between red and green are numerous, and it is conceivable that confusion and even, accidents may occur oecause of their disability. _ “But to withhold driving licenses from the colour-blind would scarcely be a practical proposition. Moreover, I am convinced that much of the

supposed colour-blindness is simply a .matter of neglected education in this direction, and that, with a little tuition and practice many, who now consider themselves handicapped in this way, could rectify the defect. “Finally, I come to a point which is of the utmost importance to motorist and non-motorist alike. It is the question of ‘fits.’ There is little danger of anyone suffering from major attacks of epilepsy driving »r being allowed to drive a motot vehicle. But what about the minor attacks, attacks which render a man unconscious for a few moments? Emphatically. no person subject even to minor epilepsy should be allowed to drive. I think it more than likely that many otherwise inexplicable accidents are due to this cause.” AVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS. “There is a strong feeling.” comments the “Evening Standard,’ “agaipst compulsory medical examinations wherever they can be avoided, and wo believe that in this instance the country would hold them to be unnecessary. “If the course of events shows a large number of false declarations, made whether in good or in bad faith, and also shows an appreciable number of accidents due to the physical unfitness of drivers, then the case will be altered. “But there is no particular reason to suppose that the avoidance of all accidents due to this cause would have any noticeable effect on tho dangers of the road. We must concentrate rather on those who are temperamentally than on those who are physically unfit. It is reckles l -: and careless driving that we. must seek to eliminate, and there is only one wav of doing it--by imposing severe penalties on the guiltv parties The new Act makes it easier to do this than it was before, and we trust that it will not fail of its effect.”