MEDICAL DRIVING TESTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26200, 10 July 1946, Page 9

MEDICAL DRIVING TESTS

Sir, —I wish to disagree with your

opinions as expressed in the leading article ' on the desirability of . medical examinations for motor drivers, over seventy and for taxi, bus and lorry drivers. A medical examination has value only if it is directed towards some particular end. Therefore in the subject under discussion a medical examination must have two objecives. (1) The physical examination with relation to the competence of the person to drive a vehicle. (2) To forecast, if possible, any physical crisis which Is going to occur in the next twelve months and which will render the person a danger to public safety. In the first group, above, the matter is relatively easy. Job analysis” shows that any person who can sit down normally and has the use of eyes, ears and limbs can drive a car—excluding certain groups such as children. Furthermore, we know that a certain amount of compensation in the loss of eyes, ears and limbs is allowable. This is of particular importance in view of the returned disabled serviceman Paralysis, or loss of two limbs—providing it is not both arms—can be compensated for by special car levers. One eye can be lost and deafness is no bar if bone conduction allows an electrical hearing aid to be used.

When we come to the next group, however, the trouble starts. No doctor is able to forecast a physical crisis twelve months ahead Sudden death can occur and leave little trace behind—-as reported in your columns a few days ago—a condition sometimes called status lyphaticus, for the want of a better name. Other diseases can only be detected by special laboratory tests—if the doctor suspects their presence. Other diseases can not be detected at all. Worst of all, however, are the group of diseases which might, under exceptional circumstances, cause a physical crisis in driving. Fortunately, however, the danger to the public is limited by the drivers! own personal reactions Many men, for example, give up driving before they reach the age of seventy because they do not feel capable of doing it Most important of all, however, is the fact that the driver feels the impending crisis and pulls up. Hence the rarity of an actual seizure whilst the car is in motion. If, then, the public insist on a medical examination—and my personal opinion is that it is not needed—then a system of standards will have to be evolved and laid down. A blood pressure, for example, over a certain figure will debar a person from driving. -But remember that a lot of people will be automatically debarred from driving and will not have a physical crisis and also a few will get through who will have a physical crisis, although for reasons given above, probably not while at the wheel. Furthermore, it will be necessary to bring all country drivers into the main centres, because an electro-cardiograph machine is not standard equipment, even at the smaller public hospitals. In your article you quote the Chief as saying that searching examination had revealed defects which barred certain people from getting a licence.- This is very misleading. It just means that one doctor thinks a certain defect might cause a crisis while driving. Another doctor might have another opinion. Finally it is well to remember that accidents can arise from circumstances surrounding the driver or the vehicle or the surroundings. If we take the driver alone, then speed, drunkeness and carelessness cause the vast majority of accidents. Physical handicap of the driver must be exceedingly rare.—l- am, etc., Medical Practitioner Dunedin, July 8