What
does the term "impaired driving" mean to you?
If you're like many, drinking and driving comes to mind
quickest. But impairment is a term that characterizes any
similar insufficiency. Webster's 2nd New Riverside Dictionary,
Revised, defines "impair" as "harm, diminish
in strength, value quality, quantity." So, anything
that does these things to your driving capabilities "impairs"
your ability to drive. At the top of my list are the physical
things that prevent you from being at your best while exercising
your privilege to drive. There are times when you shouldn't
drive. Recognizing WHEN this applies to you is perhaps the
toughest part. Our nature is to say, "Sure, I'm OK
to drive," but the fact is there are times when we're
NOT up to the job -- and shouldn't. Know when to say no.
A few years ago, a local man suffered
a broken leg. His leg was placed in a large cast and he
probably was told not to drive. But there were places to
go, and he figured that with the help of a stick (to operate
the accelerator pedal), he could manage. What happened next
was predictable - he lost control of his vehicle, it jumped
a curb, ran over a nearby phone booth, and killed a man
who was in the phone booth, because the driver didn't recognize
when he was not capable of operating a vehicle safely.
Even minor illnesses can prevent our ability
to think clearly, and affect the motor skills we need
to keep control of a vehicle. A severe headache can affect
your vision, for example. The temporary loss of the use
of a limb should cause us to make sure we leave the driving
to someone else - at least one person would be alive today
had it not been for someone who wasn't aware it was important
to think about that. Pain caused by the flu or other illnesses,
even minor ones, can impair our ability to function effectively
as drivers.
Some of our physical disabilities are preventable
-- poor vision for example. Some of us shouldn't drive without
the use of glasses or contacts. In some states this is taken
seriously enough that it is a criminal offense to drive
without them if your license is noted with a requirement
for vision correction. While adequate hearing is not a requirement
for a driver license, if you have hearing problems that
can be corrected with hearing aids, make sure to wear them.
While non-hearing people learn to compensate for their inability
to hear and can drive safely, the same may not be true for
a person who has not learned to compensate -- and hearing
is an important sense for most of us when it comes to driving.
Finally, think about those medications you are taking --
some of them will affect your ability to operate motor vehicles.
Especially if a medication is new to you, be very careful
until you know exactly how it will affect you.
Be skeptical of your own complacency
-- if you are thinking "no problem," then give
it a second, more critical thought and make sure you know
for sure. It's never worth making a mistake when lives are
at stake -- whether yours or someone else's.
Keep the shiny side up!
<Rule
43: Recognize the Futility of Rushing
Rule 45: Start Rested. Keep Fresh!>
