Deaf & Blind Get Behind The Wheel

VIDEO [CC] - Motor-racing is not for the faint-hearted. But when you are Deaf and Blind, it takes on a different dimension.

LODZ - Motor-racing is not for the faint-hearted. But when you are Deaf and Blind, it takes on a different dimension.



All 19 drivers who took part in this unusual race on the tarmac of the Lodz Airport in central Poland earlier this month were hearing and visually impaired.

But like Helen Keller - the American author, activist and lecturer who was the first Deaf and Blind person to graduate from college - they are pushing the envelope of their disabilities.



Mateusz Kotnowski of Poland's Deaf and Blind Aid Society explained: “Of 19 participants, 12 had never driven a car before, while seven used to drive before they became disabled.



“Some are completely Deaf and Blind. Those who can still see or hear a little wear masks and helmets to ensure an equal playing field for all,” he said.



Each participant had to complete two timed laps of the circuit while under the watchful eye of a co-driver. First, though, they had two days of training to get a feel for the steering wheel.



Three driving schools volunteered a parking lot, five cars and a handful of instructors - who first had to work out a language based on touch to communicate with the drivers... Read more: http://iol.co.za/motoring/motorsport/these-racers-are-deaf-and-blind