January 23, 2010: Blind Drivers????!!!!!!!!!

Ok, now I thought I had lost the ability to be shocked about driving in Kuwait...thought I was fairly well aware of the hazards, but I admit I am completely dumbfounded and unnerved by the thought of BLIND DRIVERS!!!!! WTH?!

'Blind drivers' on Kuwait's roads

Published Date: January 23, 2010

KUWAIT: A number of blind or nearly-blind people in Kuwait are reportedly still allowed to drive, despite their visual impairments being classified as 'severe' by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor's (MSAL) medical committee.

One MSAL official said that although some of the individuals are receiving social benefits on the basis of their visual disabilities, the ministry sees them as 'healthy handicapped' and allows them to retain their driving licenses and drive unaided, reported Al-Rai. The MSAL official said that he holds the Higher Council for Disability Affairs wholly accountable for this situation since it has sole responsibility for issuing driving licenses for the disabled through its medical committee.

Suppose that the doctors made a mistake in diagnosing the medical condition?" the official said. "Why doesn't the traffic committee not check the names of the 'healthy handicapped' in coordination with the Ministry of Interior to ensure their information is correct? The traffic committee is not pro-active and hasn't played its proper role.