Question: We live on Carrington Way, which has a stop sign that every other person blows through, many without even touching the brakes. Is there a way to petition the police to monitor this intersection? An officer will be able to write lots of tickets!
Answer: You may contact the traffic unit of the Bellingham Police Department and let them know of your concerns. It helps if you can provide them a time frame where you see this happen the most: mornings between 7 and 8 a.m. or lunchtime between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., etc. This allows them to target the area in a more efficient manner than just putting an officer out there and hoping they have the correct time.
Q: At what point should an elderly driver be forced to stop driving? We seem to have an issue with one right now and are not sure what direction to turn to to make this happen. If the family knows about the lack of ability to drive, can they be held liable if there is an accident ?
A: This is a question that many families have, are or will be facing. I can't give you a one-size-fits-all answer. AARP, AAA and probably several other organizations that deal with senior drivers have information on the subject. The family doctor may be able to provide some assistance in either locating other resources or discussing the issue with the family and/or the senior driver. None of us want to give up or have our privilege to drive taken away. There are frequently angry words that may be said when it is suggested that Mom or Dad should stop driving. If you know they are not safe to drive, the family needs to find a way to make sure they don't drive so that they can continue to have them in their lives for more years. The worst outcome is to do nothing and have the senior driver injure or kill themselves or someone else.
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Rules of the Road is an online forum with questions and answers on road laws, safe driving habits and general police practices. To ask a question, use this form.
DAVID WRIGHT is a retired officer from the Bellingham Police Department who is now on the Whatcom County Traffic Safety Task Force.
