Does driving need a review

During the last few weeks I have been staggered by the number of totally unfit people who are out driving on our roads, and no one stops them

With this in mind I have brought back this old blog because do feel that it's time that the laws are changed..

Over the years people with neurological illnesses have been stopped from driving, because they were thought to be a hazard to others.

Rightly or wrongly whichever way you look at this, I do feel that these people were victimised because of their illness, while others were allowed to carry on regardless.

Having looked around these days, it is fairly obvious to many that the laws need changing, because there are many people driving, who are unfit to do so.

In this day of free bus passes for the disabled and elderly, I do feel that the law needs tightening up to remove others from the road, and not simply pick on those with nuerological  illnesses.

I have seen many people getting into or out of a car, when it's fairly obvious that they are struggling to stand up let alone walk safely.
These people have usually been the drivers too which is hard to accept.

The number of people using two crutches etc, to stagger along a footpath, who then get into a car and drive off.

People especially elderly who get out of a drivers seat, in town centres looking totally confused, possibly because of memory problems etc.

I have seen quite a lot driving with neck collars on, when it's against the law these days to drive like this, more over, you are not insured, because you don't have full use of your neck.

Years ago I had a problem with a trapped nerve in my neck, and the hospital sent me to another hospital for traction.

Nothing was said at the first hospital, because I had walked there,

But the ward sister at the second hospital told me off, because I had driven there as my wife was looking after the children, and the bus service there was very bad.

In her words, "you are not insured if you have an accident ".
Yet since then I have seen many people driving with these collars on their necks, including bus drivers.

However I do wonder why there is not a mandatory medical test for all drivers from a certain age, to ensure that they are safe to drive.

It's been suggested a few times that this should be automatic at the age of 70, yet this causes a lot of heated debates amongst those of that age,  many of who ignore the fact that their responses or eyesight etc,  is not as good as it should be.

Many county council's in the UK,  run driving assessment schemes which cost £20, a small amount to have your driving tested to ensure that you are still fine to drive.

Before this is picked up wrongly I am not saying that everyone over 70 is unfit to drive, because many clearly are, but there are others who are not fit to drive.

I personally think that the family doctors and motor insurance companies should work together, and sort this out before too many people are killed.

While I no longer drive, some drivers terrify me these days, because it's obvious that many are totally unfit to be on the roads, yet nothing is being done to sort this mess out.

I was in a country village the other day, and saw two elderly drivers go past the bus stop, both hanging tightly onto the steering wheel and peering over the top, eyes nearly closed as if they could not see clearly?

It alway sounds as if it's someone else's problem, and not the medical profession or the legal profession.

It's time to stop banning people with nuerological illnesses from driving while others who may be more dangerous are allowed to carry on regardless.

I do feel that these regulations are hit and miss, a bit like a post code lottery,  and they should be standardised, so that we are all on a level playing field