Driving with an injury - more of a wwyd

[jayho]

Very identifying so will give as scant info as possible whilst enabling you to give a view.

My ex has a complex upper limb injury which requires surgery and physio, he cannot use the arm.

He has an automatic car with paddle gear switch

He has, until this week maintained that he cannot drive, is in extreme pain etc

Child (teen) left for contact at 4 pm and when I asked how they were getting to x venue said 'dad's driving'

It is his left arm but he absolutely cannot use it.

Should he be driving? If he shouldn't, is there anything I can do? He will not engage in any communication with me.

My only concern is safety not contact

He may be invalidating his insurance. I would not be happy to have him drive like this.

Is there anything I can do? Looked at DVLA and he should have notified them if he was unable to drive for more than three months, which he was (almost a year) but how is this sort of thing monitored. I don't know who his insurer is and the concern is that he's transporting DS

It's legal to drive with one arm in many circumstances, onus on your X to prove he has full control of the car, never needs to take good arm off wheel in order to operate the car.

hmm. does he have to do that before he drives or after the accident?

really trying to be sensible and not catastrophising....

so, of course, there are one armed drivers, but they probably have adapted vehicles and insurance etc that reflects this. What are the rules with a person who is 'normally' a two armed driver and then drives the vehicle as a one armed driver and absolutely cannot use their injured arm?

Am I over thinking?

In an emergency, could he maintain normal control of the car? Presumably his car isn't adapted for one-handed driving.

A friend broke a toe on her left foot and was fine to drive because she could operate the entire car completely normally. In an emergency it would have been her uninjured right foot stamping on the brake.

If your ex suddenly had to swerve, or brace the steering wheel against drift or aquaplaning, would his bad arm be able to contribute normally or would he go "ARGH OW FUCK" and snatch it away by instinct/reflex in response to the pain?

I think it would matter whether he had lost strength or just flexibility. If it's still true that he can't use his arm at all then he'd probably be fine until/unless an accident. Which is a bit like driving around without seatbelts. You could be absolutely fine for nearly every journey, but ...

My thoughts exactly Mrs, he absolutely cannot use the arm in any circumstance

His car isn't adapted and would still need use of both arms for combinations of steering, indicating, wipers, handbrake etc.

what can I dooooooo (wails)

I'd say it depends. I know a guy who is paralysed from the chest down and he drives a normal manual car with hand controls for accelerator, brake and clutch.

If DVLA are aware and there are no restrictions, fine. If not then he's risking it a bit.

Dd2 has one arm. You absolutely can drive with one arm.
However you need an assessment at a centre and it is likely that some adaptions are needed.
Typically an automatic with steering ball, however some need less.

There's even a one armed driving instructor, I think round Manchester.

so consensus seems that it should be addressed as a potential but not insurmountable issue? ie he should inform dvla and insurer?

No attempt/wish to restrict him driving just want DS to be safe

How is the handbrake applied?

no idea, car is a merc and e class, when I had an a class previously the handbrake automatically enages on turning off the engine

OMG if he doesn’t have an adapted vehicle inform the police. Not just because insurance would be invalid but because teen would be at risk because he has confirmed dad is driving when you know dad has confirmed he is in too much pain to drive and it will be on medical record that he has said this!

not adapted calling 101 for advice
feel like an AIBU cliche

fyi, he is not disabled, he has an injury, this is time limited I think he's just decided to start driving again because the limitations of public transport (rural) annoy him

Wrong thread, sorry. Have requested deletion (feel free to chortle at my expense in the meantime).

He may be fit to drive but hamming up the injury for sympathy. No crime in that. I think it's sensible for you to speak to the police when you think someone may be driving unsafely.

Mrs - thanks for the laughs, I wish it was just hand biting....

Jut off phone to 101, they have registration and will monitor his driving so result me thinks

Do you feel more secure? Good to be validated by authority.

If you bit his other hand hard enough he DEFINITELY wouldn't feel like driving ...

No, i'm not, from convo with 101 he has not notified dvla or insurers as to his condition so they will keep an eye on him

did share that they will only get heads up when he crashes. Not ideal