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Disturbing fact

Frank Hill, MandurahMandurah Coastal Times

After my stroke and whilst I was in rehab a doctor came to see me. He and my wife told me why I couldn’t drive anymore.

I had to ‘sign’ (well write because I still couldn’t sign my name), a form to say I was voluntarily surrendering my licence to drive.

When I was discharged from hospital, my wife took me to the Traffic Office where the form was handed in. The licensing clerk clipped a hole through the card so I had some form of ID that could prove who I was.

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What is disturbing about this law is the fact that health professionals are not compelled to report unfit drivers to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.

The reporting is left up to the driver.

Some drivers may not be aware of the law; ignore the law and others may not be cognitive of their inability to drive safely.

This being the case, shouldn’t health professionals at least be compelled to advise their patients to take the required tests?

Doctors and such should have in their surgery or practice rooms the Medical Assessment Form M107A for patients to complete.

Seniors have to complete a M108A form, so shouldn’t risky patients be told by their health professional to complete a M107A.

How often do we hear of people ” and not just the elderly ” using the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal and driving into shops or over walls in high-rise parking.

How many of our family or friends we know have conditions that require mandatory reporting but they have not told the department?

I know how distressing it is not being able to drive, especially the loss of independence and the joy of driving.

However, it is for the assurance of other drivers to be safe from people who have lost the skills and ability to drive safely.