ROTHENBURGER: Those who enable unfit drivers should be equally liable

Levick is legally blind and had been banned from driving for 15 years. Despite that, he continued to drive regularly, in borrowed vehicles.

Whether a two-year sentence for an 86-year-old man is enough, is debatable.

But the more important issue here is the fact he was driving because someone made it possible. Not only was he not reported for continuing to drive, but he was loaned a vehicle.

I don’t agree with pulling someone’s driver’s licence based on age alone, but when someone is medically or cognitively not fit, he or she needs to be taken off the road.

Losing your driver’s licence is a traumatic loss of independence. Referring a loved one for medical evaluation when the result might be the loss of that independence is one of the toughest things a family member has to do.

But, not only is it essential to do it, there should be legal consequences if we knowingly let that person continue to drive after their licence has been taken away — or, worse, help them to drive. Whoever gave Theodore Levick the use of a vehicle should have been standing in court with him facing the same charge.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

by Mel Rothenburger

ROTHENBURGER: Those who enable unfit drivers should be equally liable

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