Wheelchair Struck While Crossing the Street, Kills Occupant

According to a KENS5 News report, a man died after being hit by a car while crossing the street in a wheelchair.

Police reported the incident happened at around 9 p.m. on Culebra near Van Ness Drive on the Far West Side on September 18th. The man apparently was not crossing at a crosswalk when he was hit. The driver remained at the scene to help, but the man died of his injuries. The driver is not currently facing charges.

Did You Know?

13.4 million Americans ages 18 to 64 have travel-limiting disabilities, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Texas Laws for Senior and Disabled Drivers and Pedestrians

People with travel-limiting disabilities drive far less than non-disabled people — 91% of people with no reported disabilities drive, but only 60.4% drive if they are disabled. Texas has special laws in place to help those with travel-limiting disabilities safely share the road and interact with law enforcement.

Let’s take a look at licensing laws and other relevant laws for driving with travel-limiting disabilities in San Antonio.

What Is a Travel-Limiting Disability?

The National Institutes of Health defines a travel-limiting disability as “a condition or handicap that makes it difficult to travel outside of the home.” This includes conditions such as:

• Autism
• Mobility Issues (i.e., wheelchair use, walking stick, walkers, etc.)
• Vision Loss
• Hearing Impairments
• Speech and Language Disorders
• Downs Syndrom
• Parkinson’s Disease

People with these conditions often find it difficult to participate in community activities and find employment because of their inability to travel or because of poor sidewalk conditions limiting where they can go.

Driving With a Travel-Limiting Disability in Texas

11.2 million Americans with travel-limiting disabilities are over the age of 65. For older drivers with hearing, vision, and cognitive disabilities, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) can place certain restrictions on a license, including:

• Driving only in the daytime
• Driving only when another driver 21 years or older is in the front seat
• No freeway driving
• Driving at 45 mph or slower
• Requiring hearing aids while driving
• Driving vehicles equipped with power steering, outside mirrors, and power transmissions

This way, disabled older drivers can still transport themselves while keeping everyone on the road safe.

Texas Driving with a Disability Program

For drivers with communication disabilities that limit travel, the Texas Driving with a Disability program was created to allow for a special restriction code to be added to your license. There are two major categories under this new program:

• Group One — This group includes those with processing and speech disorders like Autism, Parkinson’s Disease, and speech and language disorders, among others.
• Group Two — This group includes those who are deaf or hard of hearing and may need to communicate with sign language.

A participant can choose to register their vehicle with the disability included in the private Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (TLETS). This will alert the officer to the disability before you interact with them.

Were you injured as a disabled pedestrian or disabled driver in San Antonio?

We can help. Carabin Shaw auto accident and pedestrian attorneys can help you file your personal injury claim if you were hurt while walking or driving in San Antonio with a disability. Contact our firm today at 800-862-1260 to get your case evaluated for free. We put our clients first because we care. We look forward to serving you.

¹KENS5 News Report

²Texas Driving with a Disability Program