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Question: What is the law on whether a person who has Alzheimer’s may drive?
Answer: There is no specific provision about someone with Alzheimer’s disease in the state’s driver’s licensing laws.
Instead, this would fall under the authority of the county driver’s licensing divisions to suspend or revoke a license because a driver is deemed to be “incompetent” or “is afflicted with mental or physical infirmities or disabilities which would make it unsafe” for the person to drive.
The state Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Safety Office referred us to Section 286-119 — “Authority of examiner of drivers to suspend or revoke licenses” — when we posed your question.
If and when a license is suspended under the aforementioned circumstances, the driver is required to be immediately notified about his or her right to a hearing, after which the suspension may be rescinded or lengthened, or the license revoked.
Asked how driver’s licensing officials would determine whether a person is incompetent to drive, we were referred to Chapter 19-122, Subchapter 8, of the DOT’s Hawaii Administrative Rules — hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/hawaii-administrative-rules — which deals with “Medical conditions, restrictions, and denials.”
That section says a driver’s license examiner “has reasonable cause to believe written information” about someone’s medical condition from these sources: federal, state or county police; licensed medical doctors and optometrists; federal or state courts; or the examiner of drivers or authorized representative.
Based on information from any of these sources, “appropriate action” can then be taken.
Also, as part of an application for a license, renewal or permit, applicants are asked whether they have any physical or mental conditions that might impair their ability to operate a motor vehicle safely.
If the answer indicates any such a condition exists, the applicant may be required to be examined by a licensed physician or other “competent authority.”
If someone then fails to submit a requested medical report within 30 days, his or her license may be canceled. If it’s determined someone is unable to safely operate a motor vehicle, the license or permit will be canceled and must be surrendered within 10 business days.
Question: My wife and I each have a cellphone with the 808 area code as part of our number. We’re assuming that in the event of an emergency here in Hawaii, all we would have to key in are the three digits 911 and we’ll reach the appropriate party in Honolulu. But what if we’re traveling on the mainland, driving cross country? Would keying in 911 reach the closest police department, or would it reach the police department back in Honolulu? Is it important to keep track of each of those area codes as we’re driving cross country?
Answer: The short answer is that it doesn’t matter what your area code is.
Just dial 911 and you’ll be connected with the nearest 911 emergency services operator.
AN APOLOGY
At about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, I was seated at the bus stop at Liliha and King streets, waiting for my bus. Along came a bus and people got off, including a lady looking for a seat at the bus stop, so I moved my package to make room for her. When my bus came, I picked up my package and boarded. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that in my haste, I had picked up her package, forgetting that I had put mine in my bag. A senior moment! I felt so bad because I had what appeared to be her dinner: cucumbers, mushrooms, turnips, peppers and pork. If she sees this, I would like her to call me so I can reimburse her. I want her to know that I am not a thief.
— Anita
If you are that woman, call Kokua Line at 529-4773 and leave your name and number. We’ll put you in touch with Anita.
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Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
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