Accident in hired car

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but have followed this site with interest for quite some time. I own - (with my husband!) a small property near La Marquesa and have been visiting the area for at least 6 weeks every year since 2002. In January this year - sadly we were in a serious RTA in a hired car. Without question it was 'our' fault. My husband blacked out while driving- all drink / drugs tests etc were totally clear and after 8 days in hospital in Torrevieja we were no wiser to the cause. At home, he is currently medically unfit to drive and has undergone intensive neurological and cardio tests with no answer as yet. I know there are claims pending in Spain re the accident (we had fully comp car hire insurance) but my question is, if and when he is cleared to drive again, will he be accepted as a main / 2nd driver with car hire companies in Spain or will he be blacklisted?

Sorry to hear thsi and I wish yoru husnband a peedy recovery.

I am sure if he is cleared to drive I see no reason he would be black listed unless he is convicted in a court and banned from driving anyhwere or just in Spain

If i was you i would use public transport as next time you may be not so lucky to walk away from another serious accident and show some consideration to other innocents.

Think yourselves lucky you have had a warning from the Big man.

Love Hugh

I would not get in a car with someone that could black out at any time think yourself lucky your post has no consideration for others or your husband welfare.

Well - thanks for the venom! Please read my posting properly before being nasty.

Let me make things clear. My husband has not driven ANYWHERE since the accident. He is currently under medical investigatiaion. My query was to establish if and when investigations into his health are concluded and if and when he is medicated and cleared to drive, would there be a problem having him as a driver on a hired car in Spain.

I currently do all the driving and fully intend to continue to do the driving. 

Hughjardon - as we found out ACCIDENTS happen. If we had had any forewarning there is no way my husband would have driven. 

Windtalker - I wouldn't get into a car with someone who could black out either and you have no idea of how seriously I take his welfare and how much consideration I have for others.

This was just an enquiry to see if there would be any problems when my husband is well again. I'm sorry I opened my mouth and won't ask any more questions here.

Sorry you got jumped on with such savage responses. It is one of the reasons I don't visit very often as there is always a keyboard warrior ready to jump in nowadays.

Once a cause has been found and your husband is medically cleared to drive, you would normally be fine to hire a car again. You would of course have to declare any health issues, accidents if asked by the hire company.

Mark

I would not get in a car with someone that could black out at any time think yourself lucky your post has no consideration for others or your husband welfare.

So answer me this then windtalker...Should we get into a car with YOU driving just in case YOU should blackout at any time, not forgetting that how would YOU know if YOU were to have a blackout.

As I am 100% that the husband of JoanlovesSpain didn't know this would happen due to perhaps if it did he might have killed Joan and himself, plus others.

And Hughjardon what consideration to others should they give if Joans husband wont or dont drive again.

Speedy recovery Joans husband,  and Joan if you care to send me an email via this site I will tell you something which might help you in this instance....And yes once the all clear comes he can drive again without reporting it, if he wants to that his choice.

sadly Joan there are some very nasty and sad people on forums - don't take it too personnaly they simply have nothing better to do or say

I am with baz1946 and markfish on this and I too wish your husband a speedy recovery and good luck you are doing the right thing

shame on the other 2 they need to grow up a bit and I think should send you an apology

Good luck to your husband Joan. Let's hope that the medics come up with a diagnosis soon. I can imagine how frightening and upsetting all this has been. You certainly don't need the vicious remarks from some on here. If he is cleared to drive in the UK I'm sure that he will be ok to drive in Spain.

Baz1946 I do not have a history of blacking out and I am very shure that if I did that you would not get in a car with me behind the wheel .The way I read the ladies post was that she was only interested in getting her husband behind the wheel of a car( ASAP) does it matter if you cant drive again ( No) maybe the lady should get behind the wheel from now on  and give her husband a good rest thank god you did not kill anyone if you had you would not have posted on here.

Baz1946 I do not have a history of blacking out and I am very shure that if I did that you would not get in a car with me behind the wheel .The way I read the ladies post was that she was only interested in getting her husband behind the wheel of a car( ASAP) does it matter if you cant drive again ( No) maybe the lady should get behind the wheel from now on  and give her husband a good rest thank god you did not kill anyone if you had you would not have posted on here.

Where is the mention of a history of blackouts in Janes post?

I read her post as to get her husband fit and well and COULD he drive again, would he be accepted by the hire companys.

If I were you windtalker from now on I would ask every person who drives you anywhere if they have had a blackout in the past, and are they fit to drive now, dont be surprised if the answer is "Of course".

I have no idea if anyone who has driven me is fit to drive due to a medical condition.

And also if you read Janes other post you would see that she is now going to do all the driving.

Baz1946 you are talking rubbish of course the ladies husband would have a history of blacking out try getting insurance with a black out taking place when you were driving and of course I would not ask stranger  if thay had a history of blacking out behind the wheel would you ( NUTS ) but if I new someone that had blacked out behind the wheel  for no reason at all I would not get in the car. 

This message was last edited by windtalker on 12/10/2014.

Baz1946 you are talking rubbish of course the ladies husband would have a history of blacking out try getting insurance with a black out taking place when you were driving and of course I would not ask stranger  if thay had a history of blacking out behind the wheel would you ( NUTS ) but if I new someone that had blacked out behind the wheel  for no reason at all I would not get in the car. 

So one incident makes it a history of blackouts then, best you check on any future drivers if they suffer from violent migraines, past or present, seen anyone driving while having one of these? Been in a car with someone with rubbish vision? Are you actually saying that every person who has driven you is fit and able.

I presume you are a driver, had regular eye test's done for driving in the day or night..Have you?

And I say again, who would tell you that they have had a previous blackout, hardly anyone I should think, this is what people are like, which if you lived in the real world would understand and know about.

Have you read Janes posts, or did you just choose to comment on something you have no knowledge of, and yet you still haven't noticed that Jane said she is doing all the driving now and in the future, which just goes to show what responsible people they are.

As you feel so strong about this why cant you ask anyone who would drive you, have they had a previous medical condition that stops or restricts them driving, after all in your own words you wouldn't get into a car knowing they had this condition...Now you go right ahead and please tell me how would you know? does it show? do they carry a  "I am dangerous driver" card with them? would they tell you?

I suspect you have been in plenty of cars where the driver has had some type of past problem which makes driving a little suspect, tiredness included.

Gentleman(?), Joan's husband does NOT have a history of blacking out, in the car or elsewhere. This one episode MAY mean he cannot drive but until he is diagnosed, no one knows. Epileptics, for example, are allowed to drive under certain circumstances.

Gentlemen, gentlemen - tranquilo, tranquilo! The lady asked a perfectly simple and straightforward question, prefacing with 'IF OR WHEN'. 

What's wrong with a simple, straightforward answer, without vitriol and unwarranted or unnecessary comment?

She is a newcomer to the site; what sort of a welcome was that?

Steve

There's got to be some keyboard warriors, hasn't there? 

I gave up posting regularly because of the venom spouted on here, occasionally towards me, someone who's spent many hours daily trying to help others. We're not all the same, Joan. I hope your husband will be ok. 

To everyone who has been 'polite' - thank you. 

For those who haven't - shame on you.

For the record - my husband has NO history of blackouts, has held a clean driving licence since 1978, does not drink ANYTHING alcoholic when driving, is NOT a drug user. I am the same except got my licence in 1979. 

The most seriously injured person was me with multiple broken ribs, broken sternum, broken clavicle, broken l4 spine, broken scaphoid, collapsed lung and copious soft tissue damage. I've had surgeries in Spain and at hoe because of my injuries and am still not able to go back to my much loved job so if you think I would take it lightly or try to get my husband back behind a wheel before medical clearance  - YOU ARE BONKERS!

My husband had a stroke 12 years ago and was given the all clear to go back to work and to drive after several weeks. No further problems. The same could be said about heart attack victims, most on here will suffer from one or the other, does that make them safer than the OP's husband or will you all give up driving as soon as it happens?

Like I say, I absolutely will NOT ask any more quetions here, but I am heartened by the positive responses to my question. My husband will not be driving ANYWHERE until medically okay'ed. I was just asking a futuristic question. I may read others posts, but wont participate outside this thread. I have enough to deal with without cyber vitriol.

Thank you to the nice and understanding folk.