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Health & Fitness

Unfit drivers

Good people get harmed when bad drivers are left to drive.

It is sad that so many elderly are left on the roads to drive when they should not be. Believe me, I have had first hand experience with this issue.

My father a few years back lived up here in Warminster, he drove everywhere. He had several strokes, and I witnessed some very bad actions. Long story short, about 15 years prior, at his first stroke, he was advised to not drive ever again. Since no one had power of attorney, there was nothing we could do.

Fast-forward many years and again, after more strokes, his doctor had told my sister (who now was his voice since he could not speak due to the strokes ) to make him  stop driving. Well now being older I thought about it, spoke to the family and explained how this was not just a hazard to him but to those innocent people on the road.

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She did not care, as she put it, "Well if we take it away then he will not be able to go anywhere." Sorry but that's not a good enough answer. I spent several months speaking to him about it, letting him know I would run him everywhere, I would pick him up every night and cook him dinner, I did everything.

Then, the idea occurred to me, contact the doctor, he wouldn't be breaking any laws to listen to what I had to say. So I did, I contacted the doctor and requested he generate the paperwork to be sent to the state. Then the rest is history. My father now is not allowed to drive!

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So to all those daughters, sons, sisters, brothers and so on, if you have a family member who is old and should not be driving, put a stop to it. Don't allow innocent people to be harmed because of something you could have prevented, don't sit back and ignore the issue. Step up and save someone's life, don't allow another family to suffer because of someone who is too old to drive.

OK, now there is a separate issue. There are a lot of younger people who should not be driving, you know who you are. Yep, the ones who drive real fast down the back roads (ummm children are playing), the ones that blow through stop signs, the ones who have their radio up so loud that if an ambulance was coming  they would never hear it.

Yes, I could name several people young, middle and old who should not be behind a wheel. These individuals need to lose their license before it's too late. So I say people, step up, stop waiting for someone else to do something. If you see you have a problem within your family do something. If it's someone you know, then speak to their family,don't be afraid to help even though they get angry, remember you are trying to save their lives

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