Force Orders 1938

X TO BE CIRCULATEDTO ALL RANKS OF TIE CHESHIRE CONSTAHUALRY. No. 53 15th December,1938. DRIVERS OF MOTOR EHICLESSUFFERINO FROM LLNESS. Recentlya Police Sergeantreceiveda complai�tregarding the manner in which a motor car was being driven on the main road n hia district. The complaintalleged that the motoristwas driving erratically that he had collidedwith a cyclistand anothermotor vehicle,and that ha had dr.i�e avaaywithout stopping. The sergeantat once turned out with a Constableand they interceptedthe motorlst,who stopped on being signalledto do so. The sergeant,upon speakingto the motorist, observedthat his demeanourwas not normal, and his':ehquirieselicitedthe information that the man was i11 and under medical attention. After sittingdown in the Police Station for a short tine the man apparentlyrecovered,and the sergeantallowed him to go and he drove away in the car to his home about 5 miles away. Subsequentlyhe was examinedby his own Doctor,who certifiedhim to be sufferingfrom haemorrbageof the brain, and ha is now confinedto bed, where he is 1ikelyto remain for some time. VVh lstthe sargeantaoted very promptlyin regard to the .complainthe received,he was very unwise to a11ow a man, who had driven in the manner describeddue to illness,to driva his'caragain without obtaining a medical opinion. The Chief Constabledreads to think what might have happenedon the journey home had the man been attaokedby illnessagain. Tha proper procedurewould have been for tha sergeant,on satisfyinghimself that the man was i11, to bave called in the Police surgeon and obtaineda medical opinionas to whether the man had receoveredand that he was in a fit conditionto drive a motor vehicle. Such an opinionwould have relievedthe Police of responsibilityhad the man been involvedin another accident on his homewardjourney. It is equallyinaportantthata slckpersonshouldnot drive a car as a drunkenone. Tha Police shouldnot hasitatato ca11in a Doctorwhen the ability'o�a driverto continuadrivingis in question. G�p�Q T; .