Time to allow the deaf to drive

By N Anthony Aiken

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Early in 2009, the government announced that deaf people would soon be able to get a driver's licence. The deaf community was very excited and the good news quickly spread to deaf communities in the USA, England and other countries. The Jamaican deaf community was proactive and measures were immediately put in place to - like hearing persons - familiarise themselves with the road code and how to apply for a driver's licence. Among the activities implemented was a special class set up to facilitate the training of deaf persons who were interested in acquiring their driver's licences. Many deaf people joined these classes, which were held at the Jamaica Association for the Deaf Social Services Department at Camp Road in Kingston and at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Mandeville.

There was much buzz in the media as Jamaica is listed among a small group of 26 nations that do not legally allow the deaf to drive. The excitement surrounded the fact that this would soon change. However, there were still major hurdles to cross. There still remained the question of who would administer the examination, and even more important, who would be responsible to amend the applicable law to state that a signalling device, which was discovered to be obsolete and no longer in production, is not required to be installed on a vehicle being driven by a deaf person.

This position was very disheartening when one recalled the efforts of deaf advocate, Ms Kathleen Nella Webb, who had a vision for deaf empowerment, and who in 1985 began to push to have the deaf given the right to acquire driver's licences. Ms Webb lobbied the government through her many letters. Ironically, most deaf Americans who visit Jamaica can rent a vehicle and drive in Jamaica while Jamaican citizens who are deaf are not afforded the same privilege in the country of their birth.

Deaf Jamaicans who migrated to the USA and other countries are also not hindered by the restrictions. However, the Jamaican Deaf Community is faced with simplistic arguments such as: "Deaf people cannot hear a horn honk, so how then can a deaf driver manage in the case of an emergency?" or "Deaf drivers are very dangerous and are high-risk on the roads". We have proved that deaf drivers do drive here in Jamaica. Some, because they received their driver's licence in other countries and a few who have actually been "privileged" to receive a Jamaican driver's licence. In the USA, research shows that deaf drivers have one of the lowest accident records. From all indications, the same holds true for Jamaica.

Deaf community leader, Kevin Grant, had taken up the mantle laid down by Nella Webb. In January 2002, after many futile attempts to get an audience with the government, Grant managed to gather deaf people throughout the island to lobby the government through slogan protests on the streets from Half Way Tree to New Kingston and back to Half Way Tree. The government eventually relented and called a meeting with leaders and organisations in the deaf community which included the Jamaica Association for the Deaf and the Combined Disability Association. Many meetings were held to try to resolve the issue.

Unfortunately, the government, through the Ministry of Transport and Works and its agency, the Island Traffic Authority, have doggedly held to the view that a signalling device is imperative to deaf persons being given the right to drive on Jamaican roads. The deaf community has repeatedly pointed out that (a) the device is no longer used in other countries and (b) the device is no longer in production.

In 2009, the deaf community again became excited following various representations and meetings with the current government. It was most heartening when the government agreed to fund training for members of the police force, traffic inspectors and road licensing officers for four weeks, in order for them to become sensitised and educated about deaf persons and how to assist them with acquiring their driver's licences. The training was facilitated by the Jamaica Association for the Deaf and included interaction with deaf people, in order to sensitise the trainees about communicating with the deaf.

The government also promised that if the signalling device was not sourced in or outside of Jamaica within a specified timeframe, they would take the steps necessary to have the existing rules and regulations amended accordingly. Today, we are still waiting and are becoming increasingly frustrated. How much longer should we wait? Should we return to the streets to make our "voices" heard?

I strongly believe that the deaf community has very ably presented its case and it is now incumbent on the government to follow through on the promises they have made to us.

N Anthony Aiken is Deaf Community Liaison Officer, Jamaica Association for the Deaf.

naiken@jamdeaf.org.jm

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Time to allow the deaf to drive