I Mon Stop Driving?

THINK about this older man who been driving from the time he wor young. He like driving his own car or motorbike and going anywhere he want go. But his family and friend dem worrying whether it safe for him to still be driving. And maybe they thinking da he mon stop. But he not know why they mon be worrying.

You going through the same problem too? If so, wetin can help you to know whether you mon continue driving or you mon stop?

In some country, driver dem who old and want get new driver license, suppose to get paper from the doctor to show whether it safe for them to still drive. Our brothers who living in this country dem can obey this law. (Rom. 13:1) But even if this law not in your country, you can still do some thing dem da can help you to know whether it safe for you to still drive.

SEE IF YOU STILL ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY

One organization for older people say da older people mon ask theirself this question dem:

It can be hard for me to read road signs or see in the night?
I still able to turn my head to check my view mirrors and blind spots?
I still able to do things quick-quick like taking my foot from the accelerator to the brake?
I can drive too slow and cause traffic?
I na almost make some accident dem this few time, or my car get plenty mark on it because I been hitting things?
Police man na stop me before because of the way I wor driving?
I na ever sleep before while driving?
I taking any medicine da will affect my driving?
My family or friend dem na tell me da they worry about the way I can drive?

If you answer yes to one or two of this question dem, then da something to think about. Always check to see whether you mon continue to drive. For example, maybe you can decide to not drive plenty, especially in the night. You can ask one of your family member or friend to tell you what they think about the way you can drive. Or maybe you can go to driving school to learn other thing dem you can do to drive safely. But if you answer yes to more than two of the question dem da up there, then maybe da time for you to stop driving.a

THE BIBLE CAN HELP YOU TO MAKE GOOD DECISION

Sometime it can be hard for us to know da we can’t drive good again. And the idea to stop driving can be hard for us to accept. So how the Bible can help you to think good-good and make good decision? Let talk about two ways.

Know your limit. (Prov. 11:2) When we getting old, we can’t be able to see and hear good, and our body can start getting weak. For example, when some people getting old, they can stop playing certain games because they know it not safe for them. Da the same way driving looking. Somebody who know their limit will stop driving because they know da it not safe for them. (Prov. 22:3) And they will listen when people advise them about the way they can drive.—Compare 2 Samuel 21:15-17.

Don’t be the cause for somebody to die. (Deut. 22:8) Car can cause problem when somebody not drive it good. When somebody continue driving even though he know he can’t drive good again, he could kill hisself or kill other people. And if he kill somebody in accident, he will be guilty.

Don’t think da other people will not respect you again if you decide to stop driving. Jehovah love you and he can be happy when you know your limit, you humble and you can think about other people safety. He promise to take care of you and comfort you. (Isa. 46:4) And he will never leave you. So ask him to help you to be wise and to use Bible principle when you thinking about whether you mon stop driving.

How Other People Can Help?

Da the older person family member dem the best people to talk with him about the way he can drive. Or maybe you the driver friend and you na hear other people talking about how they worry about the way he can drive. Listen to them good-good. You can even ask the driver to ride with him. Then if it possible, talk with him about the way he can drive. When you doing it, put yourself in his shoes. Tell him the true, but be kind when you doing it. Don’t focus too much on his age, but focus on the way he can drive. Don’t tell the person say “You not good driver again.” But you can say something like “I worrying whether it still safe for you to drive.” Remind him about the Bible principle dem in this article and how he want obey what the Bible say.

When older person decide to stop driving, sometime they can feel da they not get freedom again. So all of us mon try to help the person. How we can help? Do some thing dem to help the person. (Prov. 17:17) Tell him da if he want go somewhere, he mon let you know. Like da, he will not feel da he giving you hard time. Maybe you can make schedule so da somebody can always be there to carry him for important thing dem like meetings, field service, buying, and to the hospital. Let him know da you happy to do it for him and you want spend time with him.—Rom. 1:11, 12.

a For more information, see the article “Automobile Accidents—Are You Safe?” in the August 22, 2002 Awake!