Distrust of Authorities: Experiences of Outcome and Processes of People Who Had Their Driving License Withdrawn Due to Visual Field Loss

Abstract

Citizens’ trust of authorities is of general importance, as it can affect trust in society as a whole. The Swedish Transport Agency is a state administrative authority responsible for driving license withdrawal. If withdrawals are experienced as unfair by those affected, this might lead to decreased trust in the agency and in other actors involved. This study accordingly examines how the experiences of people who have had their driving license for a private car withdrawn due to visual field loss might affect their distrust of the authorities, as related to outcomes and processes. Follow-up interviews were conducted with nine people from a previous study. Content analysis revealed one overarching theme, struggling for justice within a system perceived as unfair, which comprised four identified categories: preparedness for and understanding of the withdrawn driving license (WDL); perceptions of assessment methods, reactions and actions regarding the decision, and perceptions of the authorities’ performance. In sum, the vision tests on which withdrawals are based were perceived as unfair, as they did not measure individual driving ability. Furthermore, rejections of appeals led to feelings of hopelessness. Distrust regarding outcomes and processes related to the withdrawals was also fueled by experiences of deficiencies regarding, for example, performance and information.

Self-Perception and the Relation to Actual Driving Abilities for Individuals With Visual Field Loss

“…The VFL participants even believed that they generally drive better, especially men, and they had not been involved in serious incidents to the same extent as the normally sighted participants. Based on the results, the frustration expressed in the different VFL etiology groups studied is unsurprising and is in line with the findings of previous studies (e.g., Nyberg et al, 2021).…”

Car accidents in drivers with Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis: A Swedish nationwide study

“…For clinical physicians, the conceptual premise of evaluating patients’ driving ability is loaded with ethical considerations [14, 15]. The challenges the patient faces in the transition to ceasing driving may give rise to conflict and loss of trust between the patient and the medical doctor [35]. As a result, together with the fear of reporting without certainty, many clinical physicians might avoid making a decision regarding the patient's fitness to drive.…”

Costs and Consequences of Traffic Fines and Fees: A Case Study of Open Warrants in Las Vegas, Nevada

“…In addition, traffic-related fines and fees affect the relationship between the state, defendants of citation, and the whole citizenry. Tickets that are too costly lead to noncompliance, which is not only detrimental to budget forecasting (Hummel 2015) but also, more importantly, excessive traffic tickets and fines that are unfairly distributed weaken the trust between citizens and those who enforce the law (Nyberg et al 2021;Su 2020;Bornstein and Tomkins 2015).…”