A recent accident — in which a driver had crashed into a fast-food restaurant in Ajman, killing two people and injuring five others during an epileptic seizure — has raised a very serious issue. Should people with certain medical conditions such as epilepsy be given a driver’s licence? A senior police official says the next Federal Traffic Council meeting will study the possibility of making it mandatory for people seeking a licence to declare if they suffer from any medical condition.
This policy must be adopted because it will safeguard the life of drivers and commuters. The meeting will deliberate whether it should also be mandatory for motorists to inform the authorities if they develop a medical condition later that could affect their driving abilities. The authorities will place the case before a doctor to decide whether the person can continue driving. Residents should welcome such a move because it will seek to protect everyone. In many countries in the West, people seeking licences have to declare if they suffer from medical conditions. In Dubai, it is mandatory for professional drivers to pass an annual medical test to qualify for jobs. People with conditions such as epilepsy, hypertension, cardiac ailments and certain extreme cases of diabetes, dementia and those with psychiatric disorders are not allowed to work as professional drivers in the UAE.
While making it mandatory for drivers to declare their health record, doctors too should be asked to report patients who they feel may compromise road safety because of their condition. While the authorities can draft laws to protect drivers and commuters, the community must also understand that safety is the responsibility of all. A collective conscience is required to ensure that such accidents do not recur.
