Deaf people can drive!

Arthaey

Arthaey

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Since so many hearing people seem shocked that deaf people can drive, maybe having an academic study to quote will be useful. :)

According to "Driver and rider licensing provisions for clients who are d/Deaf", published by Dale Steinhardt & Darren Wishart in 2006:

"The limited research completed into the driving ability of hearing impaired or deaf drivers has in fact indicated that deaf drivers have fewer reported driving violations than hearing drivers. Several underlying reasons have been suggested as to why this is the case. Although the driving task has been identified by Songer et al as relying on a combination of the auditory, visual, tactile and olfactory systems, vision is suggested to be the dominant factor, accounting for over 90% of driving actions. Anecdotally, suggestions have been made which indicate deaf drivers accommodate for any shortcomings in their driving by being more careful or vigilant on the road. Research has also noted consistently greater visuospatial skills among people who use sign language as opposed to people that rely on spoken language only."
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Full text at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/4829/1/4829.pdf

In an ideal world, people would just, you know, believe you when you explain that deaf people have no trouble driving. But since we don't live in an ideal world, sometimes an "appeal to authority" can help.
 
Arthaey said:
Since so many hearing people seem shocked that deaf people can drive, maybe having an academic study to quote will be useful. :)

According to "Driver and rider licensing provisions for clients who are d/Deaf", published by Dale Steinhardt & Darren Wishart in 2006:



Full text at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/4829/1/4829.pdf

In an ideal world, people would just, you know, believe you when you explain that deaf people have no trouble driving. But since we don't live in an ideal world, sometimes an "appeal to authority" can help.
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THANK YOU!!! :ty: This is EXACTLY what I need! :hug: I'm going to show my mother this when I get the chance. Maybe THEN she'll believe that her deaf 16 year old daughter can indeed drive safely on the roads...
 
Been driving since 1994.. actually tried to get a driving license 2 years earlier but couldnt get it and finally got it.. driving safely for a long time (except for 2 speeding tickets and 2 parking violations tickets that's all) and being smart about how I drive and where to go and know what to do a bit more.. best to learn any new thing and put in use good enough so ya can drive more safely and be able to go where ya need to go.. simple enough...
 
MintyOreo said:
THANK YOU!!! :ty: This is EXACTLY what I need! :hug: I'm going to show my mother this when I get the chance. Maybe THEN she'll believe that her deaf 16 year old daughter can indeed drive safely on the roads...
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:laugh2: I don't think that would convince most parents that their 16 year old children can drive safely on the roads -- hearing or deaf.
 
For me, I don't mind 16 yrs old learn to drive, as long as one condition exists. They gotta to pay their way up. I do not support parents loaning their car keys to them because they would think its free ride and I don't care if shit happens, as verses those who shell their own hard earned money will be likely to take good care of it and think safety.
 
Oh there, since I was born Deaf, and I drive '06 Ford F-250 Crew cab, Harley Editon that runs on Diesel. This is one huge Pick up truck and I love drive em everyday.

I know some Deafies here drives 18 wheelers. I personally would love to drive 18 wheelers someday.
 
If they included my wife's uncle, who is deaf, in the statistics, the report would not look good.

Whenever I ride with him I have to change my underwear after arrival, and have to get my Xanax prescription refilled......:ugh:
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

I just thought I'd add, for the sake of being complete in terms of "Deaf can drive", that there are conditions related to hearing loss which may make someone unable to drive. One of the most common being vertigo, dizziness, lightheadedness etc due to Meniere's disease. There are plenty of people with Meniere's who are legally allowed to drive - however this is because they've been cleared to do so by their doctor and are only permitted to drive "when safe to do so" meaning NOT during a vertigo attack etc.
 
Anij said:
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

I just thought I'd add, for the sake of being complete in terms of "Deaf can drive", that there are conditions related to hearing loss which may make someone unable to drive. One of the most common being vertigo, dizziness, lightheadedness etc due to Meniere's disease. There are plenty of people with Meniere's who are legally allowed to drive - however this is because they've been cleared to do so by their doctor and are only permitted to drive "when safe to do so" meaning NOT during a vertigo attack etc.
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Of course. This is something that my mother is worried about. However, I'm happy to say that my vertigo/dizziness problems that are due to Meniere's are currently under control. (Meaning that I don't have attacks more than a few times a month for a few hours at a time, but they aren't nearly as bad as they used to be.) I won't drive during a vertigo attack. Really, I just want to be able to drive myself to church and to the grocery store down the road. Because of my parents' work schedules, it would help if I would be able to run errands and take my brother places sometimes. But I won't be driving all the time. However, my mother is concerned that the doctor will not permit me to get my license because of my Meniere's. That is what I am mainly concerned about. My mother thinks that because I am deaf, the doctor will think that it's a bad idea for me to drive. However, I think that it's more of a concern of Meniere's than it is of me being deaf.
 
MintyOreo said:
Of course. This is something that my mother is worried about. However, I'm happy to say that my vertigo/dizziness problems that are due to Meniere's are currently under control. (Meaning that I don't have attacks more than a few times a month for a few hours at a time, but they aren't nearly as bad as they used to be.) I won't drive during a vertigo attack. Really, I just want to be able to drive myself to church and to the grocery store down the road. Because of my parents' work schedules, it would help if I would be able to run errands and take my brother places sometimes. But I won't be driving all the time. However, my mother is concerned that the doctor will not permit me to get my license because of my Meniere's. That is what I am mainly concerned about. My mother thinks that because I am deaf, the doctor will think that it's a bad idea for me to drive. However, I think that it's more of a concern of Meniere's than it is of me being deaf.
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I have a friend who also has Meniere's. She's been driving all her adult life. She's in her 50s now. Shrug. She wears a CI. She works full-time, drives wherever she wants, goes on road trips, etc. It would never occur to me that the Deaf shouldn't be allowed to drive. I don't understand that mentality, but I've read discussions about it. :shock: I am HOH, so it hasn't come up in regards to myself. But I am very "visual" when I drive; always have been. It's called good "defensive driving," keeping an eye out for other cars, traffic, pedestrians, etc. You never know when someone drives like an idiot, not paying attention, thinking they're the only ones on the road. :naughty: And that takes more visual watchfulness, not my hearing...and I've always used two side mirrors and my rear view mirror. Being HOH, I can *hear* sirens, for example, but I don't always know what *direction* they are coming from. So I watch the other cars going my direction, in my lane, to know to pull over and stop, if the ambulance, etc., is coming from behind.

I read about one state that has this category that can be added to one's driver's license: J88. Here's a link about it:

SPEAK UP LIBRARIAN: J88 Driver's License Designation

When I watched the S@B episode where Emmet was arrested, and the brutality of it, how he was hand-cuffed so he could not communicate, shoved around because the officers thought he was being belligerent not following yelled directions during the arrest. Coming on the heels of my wondering about how that could happen in real life, I read the blog about the J88 category. :hmm:

What do you all think? If you could have this in your state, would you request it be put in your driver's license? So, that if you were stopped the police would know not to just tell you from behind to step out of the vehicle, etc.? That they'd know to approach you differently because you were Deaf or HOH?

I researched on my state's web site, but found nothing about this there, so it's not an option where I am.
 
GrayEagle said:
I read about one state that has this category that can be added to one's driver's license: J88. Here's a link about it:

SPEAK UP LIBRARIAN: J88 Driver's License Designation

What do you all think? If you could have this in your state, would you request it be put in your driver's license? So, that if you were stopped the police would know not to just tell you from behind to step out of the vehicle, etc.? That they'd know to approach you differently because you were Deaf or HOH?

I researched on my state's web site, but found nothing about this there, so it's not an option where I am.
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I think that it would be a good idea - especially for someone like me who is a new driver. (I would probably get so nervous and scared if I was pulled over - not only because I'm being pulled over, but because how am I going to communicate with the police if I am handcuffed?!? If I'm handcuffed, I can't sign or write - which are my main forms of communication.) I would want to request it, if it is available in Pennsylvania. I've heard something about it, but I'm not sure if it's available in my state or not. It's a good idea, in my opinion. I wonder if I can get it when I get my license. I'm off to go google it...

EDIT: I'm not sure, but I don't think that J88 is available in my state. I couldn't find any specific info on the internet stating that PA has J88. But, other states DO have J88.
 
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MintyOreo said:
I think that it would be a good idea - especially for someone like me who is a new driver. (I would probably get so nervous and scared if I was pulled over - not only because I'm being pulled over, but because how am I going to communicate with the police if I am handcuffed?!? If I'm handcuffed, I can't sign or write - which are my main forms of communication.) I would want to request it, if it is available in Pennsylvania. I've heard something about it, but I'm not sure if it's available in my state or not. It's a good idea, in my opinion. I wonder if I can get it when I get my license. I'm off to go google it...
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I am using the quote feature more so that you know just at what point I am replying than anything.

I am from Illinois where we do have J88 and have had it on my license since at least 2006 when my current license was first issued (have had a license since 1958) that has since had a renewal sticker applied. It was a simple request but I don't remember the particulars. I do not know how well it works as I have never been pulled over.

My restrictions are BF which stand for corrective lenses (glasses or contacts) and outside mirror on both sides. I had an uncle (who has since died) that wore a hearing aid and then had to have an eye removed; the F was added to his after he lost the eye.

My reason for adding the J88 is that I currently get no response from the left ear and am profound in the right. My hearing aid helps (need to check what a newer one would do) but must be supplemented by speech reading. That can get very difficult in noise, dim light or certain voices. In those cases I need to switch to pen and paper as I do no sign.
 
Jane B. said:
I am using the quote feature more so that you know just at what point I am replying than anything.

I am from Illinois where we do have J88 and have had it on my license since at least 2006 when my current license was first issued (have had a license since 1958) that has since had a renewal sticker applied. It was a simple request but I don't remember the particulars. I do not know how well it works as I have never been pulled over.

My restrictions are BF which stand for corrective lenses (glasses or contacts) and outside mirror on both sides. I had an uncle (who has since died) that wore a hearing aid and then had to have an eye removed; the F was added to his after he lost the eye.

My reason for adding the J88 is that I currently get no response from the left ear and am profound in the right. My hearing aid helps (need to check what a newer one would do) but must be supplemented by speech reading. That can get very difficult in noise, dim light or certain voices. In those cases I need to switch to pen and paper as I do no sign.
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I'm not sure if my state has something like J88 - but I would think that it would. After all, I have seen pictures on the internet of Pennsylvania license plates that have "Hearing Impaired" written on them. But I can't find specific information on driver's licenses having J88 or some other form of ID for being deaf/hoh on the license in PA. Other states have it, so it's a good chance that most states have something like that.
 
My buddy Julian drives a lot. I think the reason that most deaf drivers are better than us hearing folk is because deaf drivers have to be more careful since most can't hear the sirens, bells, whistles, etc. that are used as alert signals. Gonna have to go hang with him some time, actually. Maybe we can go for a ride, haha. :D
 
Of course deaf ppl can drive. Even, my friend who was 16 years old and got driver's license. She and I went anywhere until she's going to college. It was so fun. But kinda risky haha cuz she and I used to chat in signing during driving on front seats. However, lucky she doesn't have a cochlear. I do have cochlear. I just warned her that someone used bump (beep) on back of our car. What happen to deaf ppl who can't hear when other ppl used bump?

However, Drive Safe!
 
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