3. Driving Instruction for the Bioptic Driver-Québec

 

Driving instructor is Alain, Student is Vanessa, Bioptic Driving Program Coordinator & Orientation and Mobility Specialist is Virginie. Standing beside the driving school car outside the rehabilitation center of IRDPQ (Institut de readaptation en deficience physique de Quebec).
 

The driving instruction phase

This phase commences from phase two through to phase four. By this time the low vision, bioptic driver has had classroom training on how to use their vision, experience in the driving simulator on how to use their vision in the driving sequence. Then, pulling that all together in the passenger seat for commentary driving. It is now time for the student to be in a dual brake car with a specially trained driving instructor to pull everything together and put it into practice.

The driving instructor invited to participate in these programs is not your usual driving instructor. They generally have had a long history of experience and extra training. In this case for these videos, we have Alain who used to be a driving instructor for first responders. His specific skill set was to teach first responders how to identify and anticipate, as far as possible, potential risks on the road. This way, first responders can adjust their manouvers accordingly. They always find a way out and never get caught behind obstacles. He teaches the students these types of skills. In Australia, we have similar driving instructors for similar programs for first responders. However, we also have programs for defensive driving that teach similar skills and what any driver could attend after they have finished their learners license and progress to their provisional and beyond.

Here is a video of an interview with one of the students I attended to see driving. This is Gabriel with Alain.

Video of Belinda interviewing a student, Gabriel and the driving instructor, Alain.

In the bioptic driving program for Québec, the students pay for the driving lessons with the driving instructor. This is not covered by the low vision services appropriation. Further, the program requires that the students do several additional hours with the driving instructor to what a standard student would usually do.

In addition to the driving instructor, there is also a role here for the orientation and mobility specialist. The orientation and mobility specialist will sit in the back seat on every second or third session to evaluate how the student is using their visual skills and provide feedback throughout the lesson. The joint goal of the orientation and mobility specialist in consultation with the driving instructor is to ensure they are satisfied the student is able to demonstrate driving skills without intervention by the driving instructor. This means that the student does not have to have the instructor touch the wheel or use the brake pedals. Once this point is reached the orientation and mobility specialist will write a report to the SAAQ to recommend that the 'S' condition is lifted from the students license. This means that the student can now drive with family and friends. The 'S' condition is a requirement at the beginning of the students driving journey to mandate that the student must only drive with an instructor in a dual break car. Here are some additional videos of Driving with Vanessa and Gabriel. Both of the students have had the 'S' condition lifted and are driving with the instructor throughout the final phase of the above driving program.

Biotpic driver is easily able to see the scooter in the laneway before they turn right.
Bioptic driver merging into traffic and driving through urban streets.

Fun Fact: blind man Ralph Teetor invented cruise control, patented in 1950.   “There was a purity in not being biased by his eyes.” 

‘In 1958, Chrysler was first to offer Speedostat as a luxury model option. A year later, its popularity influenced Chrysler to offer Speedostat on all car models. Next came General Motors’ Cadillac Division, which re-christened and marketed the device as “Cruise Control.” Over the next decade, Cruise Control continued as a convenient, though not essential, feature. All that changed dramatically in 1973, when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed an embargo against the United States. Teetor’s remarkable innovation emerged as a widely-accepted, gas-conserving motorist tool. Studies at the time showed that the national speed limit prompted by the oil embargo saved 167,000 barrels of oil a day.‘



I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog and gained some knowledge in this topic. Questions are always welcome. Don't forget to look at the previous blog to this that talked about the Vision habilitation process for the bioptic driver.

 

Keep an eye out for my next blog on the history of bioptic driving in Québec and how the program fits into the standard settings for driving licensure.

Also, take a look at a previous blog of my visit to Montréal to talk to them about aspects of the bioptic driving program. 


You’re welcome to follow my/ this blog for updates. And join our Facebook group Bioptic Drivers Australia: https://m.facebook.com/groups/BiopticDriversAus/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF 


To learn about the reasons for this blog, go to my Churchill Trust Australia webpage to read about the fellowship I was awarded being "The NRMA - ACT Road Safety Trust Churchill Fellowship to identify success factors and barriers for low vision and telescopic glasses driving" The page is here:  https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/belinda-oconnor-act-2022/


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