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Show Young Men Over Fifty Should Not Assume They "Can See Well Enough to Drive" "It is folly to assume that once a person has demonstrated that he is a satisfactoiy driver, he will continue to be a satisfactory driver." driv-er." This is a statement by Dr. Edwin Ed-win D. Fletcher, examiner in charge of research for the California Cali-fornia State Division of Drivers' Licenses appearing in the Motorists Motor-ists Vision, text paper that was the subject for discussion at a meeting of the Salt Lake Elks last mght. Dr. M. H. Dearden, Chairman, Chair-man, Social and Community Welfare Wel-fare Committee reviewed the paper. pap-er. "Proof that there is national acceptance of the belief that good vision is essential to safety in general gen-eral driving," contends Fletcher, "rests in the fact that in 1925 only on-ly 12 states tests drivers' vision; in 1951, 47 states required the administration ad-ministration of a test of vision to driver license applicants. "However, this almost-realized goal of a nationwide program of testing the vision of drivers for greater safety on the highways is only the first step in sound vision-testing vision-testing program for drivers." "In drawing a parallel of the inevitable changes that take place merely in 'the routine matter of growing older, the results of screening tests administered to thousands of industrial employees as described by Dr. Joseph Tiffin, Purdue Univerity, were cited. "Among those in the 20-30 year age group, only about 15 per cent were markedly in need of eye care; among employees in the 50 years and over group, well over 40 per cent needed ej-e care." Also cited were the findings in a report of the Better Vision Institute: In-stitute: that at 20 years of age, 23 per cent of the population have defective vision; at 30 years, 39 per cent; at 40, 48 per cent; at 50 71 per cent; at 60, 82 per cent and at 70, 95 per cent. "Just as there was great effort required to convince many stales that a road test for license applicants appli-cants was desirable, so has it been difficult to establish proof that good vision is essential to safety in general driving," states Dr. Fletcher. In modem licensing procedure, pro-cedure, it would seem unwise to depend on the initial licensing examination ex-amination alone and thus overlook the protection offered by follow-up follow-up examinations." Be sure you can see fast enough to drive, but "Slow Down and Live." |
