Driver involved in crosswalk collision relinquishes his licence

Source: Charlottetown Guardian

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - The man who struck and seriously injured a teenager at a crosswalk last month in Charlottetown has decided to relinquish his licence over concern for his ability to drive safely with a vision impairment.

“Conditions were good and I was driving normally and if that could happen in those circumstances I wouldn’t risk that happening again,’’ said the 53-year-old Charlottetown man. The Guardian has agreed not to reveal his name.

The collision on Nov. 16 was the first for the man in his 25 years of driving with a visual impairment that has grown progressively worse over the years.

A 16-year-old city teen suffered a severe break to his arm as he attempted to make his way across the road at a crosswalk at the intersection of Queen and Pond streets in the mishap. He has since been released from hospital. His 15-year-old friend, who was also struck, was treated and released from hospital the day of the collision.

The driver was charged with failing to yield the right of way to pedestrians at a crosswalk.

“I was driving normally within the speed limit and taking usual precautions and the collision happened,’’ said the driver.

He says he decided to relinquish his licence the day after the collision and does not expect to ever reapply to get it back.

He believes monitoring of his condition to determine his ability to drive safely was “well done’’ over the years. He has needed to file a medical report with the Highway Safety Division on an annual basis and for several years has been required to take an annual road test.

For more than 10 years, he has not been allowed to drive after dark. For at least the past five years, he has also been restricted to city driving, which saw him on average driving at a speed of 60 km/hr or less.

“I did more than necessity driving,’’ he said. “I didn’t consider that it was dangerous getting behind the wheel. It was well monitored and annually tested.’’

There are currently 493 Island motorists with restrictive licences related to medical issues of which 268 have vision defects, says Graham Miner, registrar of motor vehicles.

He says the percentage of driving mishaps among this group is no greater than in the overall motoring population.

The majority would receive annual or semi-annual road tests, he pointed out.

Some relinquish their licence on their own while others have it revoked because their ability to drive to have become deemed inadequate.

“Everything is done within due diligence,’’ said Miner.

Other motorists subjected to restrictive licences, which commonly limits a motorist to driving during daylight hours, include those with very mild dementia and physical disabilities.