XN000022-1984-12-13 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1984

MORE DISABLED PEOPLE LEARN TO DRIVE

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LEARNING TO DRIVE IS BECOMING POPULAR WITH THE DISABLED AS MORE OF THEM ARE AWARE OF THE PRIVILEGES GRANTED THEM BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.

THE PRIVILEGES INCLUDE EXEMPTION FROM FEES FOR DRIVING TESTS, DRIVING AND VEHICLE LICENCES, AND FIRST REGISTRATION TAX ON CARS.

THE NEW TREND IS KEEPING MR LAU SIU-WING BUSY. MR LAU, WHO IS PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED HIMSELF, IS ONE OF THE EIGHT LOCAL DRIVING INSTRUCTORS FOR THE DISABLED.

AND IS

HE OBTAINED HIS DRIVING INSTRUCTOR LICENCE LAST "YEAR NOW WORKING WITH THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH, WHICH FOUNDED THE DISABLED DRIVERS' SCHOOL IN 1979.

MR LAU LOST THE LOWER PART OF HIS RIGHT LEG AFTER A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND HAD AN ARTIFICIAL LIMB FITTED.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, HE UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEMS OF DISABLED LEARNER-DRIVERS.

+SOME MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY STRONG ENOUGH, IN WHICH CASE I WOULD TEACH THEM TO DEVELOP STRENGTH THROUGH SIMPLE EXERCISE,+ SAID MR LAU WHO HAS OVER SEVEN YEARS' DRIVING EXPERIENCE, AND TOOK PART IN THE 1980 HANDICAPPED OLYMPICS IN HOLLAND.

WHILE SOME OF

GENERALLY, HANDICAPPED PEOPLE LEARN TO DRIVE FOR A PRACTICAL REASON TO OVERCOME THEIR TRANSPORT PROBLEMS THE ABLE-BODIED MAY DO IT FOR FUN, HE SAID.

+THIS EXPLAINS WHY THE DISABLED ARE MORE PERSEVERING AND ATTENTIVE DURING THE LESSONS. THEY ARE CONFIDENT THEY CAN DRIVE AS WELL AS ANY ABLE-BODIED PERSON.+

MR LAU HAS MORE THAN 60 STUDENTS IN THE FEDERATION, AND ABOUT HALF OF THEM HAVE PASSED THE DRIVING TEST IN THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT.

HIS STUDENTS ARE FROM 20 TO 50 YEARS OF AGE, AND THREE OUT OF 10 ARE WOMEN. THE INSTRUCTION FEE CHARGED BY THE FEDERATION IS $45 PER HOUR.

THOSE WITH A PARTIALLY DISABLED LEG USUALLY HAVE TO ATTEND ABOUT 30 DRIVING SESSIONS BEFORE THE TEST, AND THOSE PARALYSED FROM THE WAIST DOWN, 40 TO 50 SESSIONS, MR LAU SAID.

SENIOR DRIVING EXAMINER (GENERAL) OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, MR AU PO-NAM, SAID, STARTING FROM LAST AUGUST, THE DISABLED CAN APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR EXEMPTION OF FEES FOR DRIVING TESTS AND PROVISIONAL AS WELL AS FULL DRIVING LICENCES.

/+THEY CAN

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