Council Directive of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (91/439/EEC) (repealed)

ANNEX III U.K. MINIMUM STANDARDS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS FOR DRIVING A POWER-DRIVEN VEHICLE

DEFINITIONS U.K.

1. For the purpose of this Annex, drivers are classified in two groups: U.K.

1.1. Group 1: U.K.

drivers of vehicles of categories A, B and B + E and subcategory A1 and B1;

1.2. Group 2: U.K.

drivers of vehicles of categories C, C + E, D, D + E and of subcategory C1, C1 + E, D1 and D1 + E.

1.3. National legislation may provide for the provisions set out in this Annex for Group 2 drivers to apply to drivers of Category B vehicles using their driving licence for professional purposes (taxis, ambulances, etc.). U.K.

2. Similarly, applicants for a first driving licence or for the renewal of a driving licence are classified in the group to which they will belong once the licence has been issued or renewed. U.K.

MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS U.K.

3. Group 1: U.K.

applicants shall be required to undergo a medical examination if it becomes apparent, when the necessary formalities are being completed or during the tests which they have to undergo prior to obtaining a driving licence, that they have one or more of the medical disabilities mentioned in this Annex.

4. Group 2: U.K.

applicants shall undergo medical examination before a driving licence is first issued to them and thereafter drivers shall undergo such periodic examinations as may be prescribed by national legislation.

5. The standards set by Member States for the issue or any subsequent renewal of driving licences may be stricter than those set out in this Annex. U.K.

SIGHT U.K.

6. All applicants for a driving licence shall undergo an appropriate investigation to ensure that they have adequate visual acuity for driving power-driven vehicles. Where there is reason to doubt that the applicant's vision is adequate, he shall be examined by a competend medical authority. At this examination attention shall be paid the following in particular: visual acuity, field of vision, twilight vision and progressive eye disseases. U.K.

For the purpose of this Annex, intra-ocular lenses shall not be considered corrective lenses.

Group 1: U.K.

6.1. Applicants for a driving licence or for the renewal of such a licence shall have a binocular visual acuity, with corrective lenses if necessary, of at least 0,5 when using both eyes together. Driving licences shall not be issued or renewed if, during the medical examination, it is shown that the horizont al field of vision is less than 120°, apart from exceptional cases duly justified by a favourable medical opinion and a positive practical test, or that the person concerned suffers from any other eye condition that would compromise safe driving. When a progressive eye diease is detected or declared, driving licences may be issued or renewed subject to the applicant undergoing regular examination by a competent medical authority. U.K.

6.2. Applicants for a driving licence, or for the renewal of such a licence, who have total functional loss of vision in one eye or who use only one eye (e.g. in the case of diplopia) must have a visual acuity of at least 0,6, with corrective lenses if necessary. The competent medical authority must certify that this condition of monocular vision has existed sufficiently long to allow adaption and that the field of vision in this eye is normal. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

6.3. Applicants for a driving licence or for the renewal of such a licence must have a visual acuity, with corrective lenses if necessary, of at least 0,8 in the better eye and at least 0,5 in the worse eye. If corrective lenses are used to attain the values of 0,8 and 0,5, the uncorrected acuity in each eye must reach 0,05, or else the minimum acuity (0,8 and 0,5) must be achieved either by correction by means of glasses with a power not exceeding plus or minus four dioptres or with the aid of contact lenses (uncorrected vision = 0,05). The correction must be well tolerated. Driving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applications or drivers without a normal binocular field of vision or suffering from diplopia. U.K.

HEARING U.K.

7. Driving licences may be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers in Group 2 subject ot the opinion of the competend medical authorities; particular account will be taken in medical examinations of the scope for compensation. U.K.

PERSONS WITH A LOCOMOTER DISABILITY U.K.

8. Driving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers suffering from complaints or abnormalities of the locomoter system which make it dangerous to drive a power-driven vehicle. U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

8.1. Driving licences subject to certain restrictions, if necessary, may be issued to physically handicapped applicants or drivers following the issuing of an opinion by a competent medical authority. This opinion must be based on a medical assessment of the complaint or abnormality in question and, where necessary, on a practical test. It must also indicate what type of modification to the vehicle is required and whether the driver needs to be fitted with an orthopaedic device, insofar as the test of skills and behaviour demonstrates that with such a device driving would not to be dangerous. U.K.

8.2. Driving licences may be issued to or renewed for any applicant suffering from a progressive complaint on condition that the disabled person is regularly examined to check that the person is still capable of driving the vehicle completely safely. U.K.

Where the handicap is static, driving licences may be issued or renewed without the applicant being subject to regular medical examination.

Group 2: U.K.

8.3. The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definition of this group. U.K.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES U.K.

9. Any disease capable of exposing an applicant for a first licence or a driver applying for renewal to a sudden failure of the cardiovascular system such that there is a sudden impairment of the cerebral functions constitutes a danger to road safety. U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

9.1. Driving licences will not to be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers with serious arrhytmia. U.K.

9.2. Driving licences may be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers wearing a pacemaker subject to authorized medical opinion and regular medical check-ups. U.K.

9.3. The question whether to issue or renew a licence for applicants or drivers suffering from abnormal arterial bloos pressure shall be assessed with reference to the other results of the examination, may associated complications and the danger they might constitute for road safety. U.K.

9.4. Generally speaking, a driving licence shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers suffering from angina during rest or emotion. The issuing or renewal of a driving licence to any applicant or driver having suffered myocardial infarction shall be subject to authorized medical opinion and, if necessary, regular medical check-ups. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

9.5. The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definition of this group. U.K.

DIABETES MELLITUS U.K.

10. Driving licences may be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers suffering from diabetes mellitus, subject to authorized medical opinion and regular medical check-ups appropriate to each case. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

10.1. Only in very exceptional cases may driving licences be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers in this group suffering from diabetes mellitus and requiring insulin treatment, and then only where duly justified by authorized medical opinion and subject to regular medical check-ups. U.K.

NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES U.K.

11. Driving licences shall not be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers suffering from a serious neurological disease, unless the application is supported by authorized medical opinion. U.K.

Neurological disturbances associated with diseases or surgical intervention affecting the central or periphal nervous system, which lead to sensory or motor deficiences and affect balance and coordination, must accordingly be taken into account in relation to their functional effects and the risks of progression. In such cases, the issue or renewal of the licence may be subject to periodic assessment in the event of risk of deterioration.

12. Epileptic seizures or other sudden disturbances of the state of consciousness constitute a serious danger to road safety if they occur in a person driving a power-driven vehicle. U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

12.1. A licence may be issued or renewed subject to an examination by a competent medical authority and to regular medical check-ups. The authority shall decide on the state of the epilepsy or other disturbances of consciousness, its clinical form and progress (no seizure in the last two years, for example), the treatment received and the results thereof. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

12.2. Driving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers suffering or liable to suffer from epileptic seizures or other sudden disturbances of the state of consciousness. U.K.

MENTAL DISORDERS U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

13.1. Driving licences shall not be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers who suffer from: U.K.

• severe mental disturbance, whether congenital or due to disease, trauma or neurosurgical operations,

• severe mental retardation,

• severe behavioural problems due to ageing; or personality defects leading to seriously impaired judgment, behaviour or adaptibility,

unless their application is supported by authorized medical opinion and, if necessary, subject to regular medical check-ups.

Group 2: U.K.

13.2. The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definition of this group. U.K.

ALCOHOL U.K.

14. Alcohol consumption constitutes a major danger to road safety. In view of the scale of the problem, the medical profession must be very vigilant. U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

14.1. Driving licences shall not be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers who are dependent on alcohol or unable to refrain from drinking and driving. U.K.

After a proven period of abstinence and subject to authorized medical opinion and regular medical check-ups, driving licences may be issued to, or renewed for, applicant or drivers who have in the past been dependent on alcohol.

Group 2: U.K.

14.2. The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definition of this group. U.K.

DRUGS AND MEDICINAL PRODUCTS U.K.

15. Abuse: U.K.

Driving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers who are dependent on psychotropic substances or who are not dependent on such substsances but regularly abuse them, whatever category of licence is requested.

Regular use: U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

15.1. Driving licences shall not be issued to, or renewed for, applicants or drivers who regularly use psychotropic substances, in whatever form, which can hamper the ability to drive safely where the quantities absorbed are such as to have an adverse effect on driving. This shall apply to all other medicinal products or combinations of medicinal products which affect the ability to drive. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

15.2. The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definitions of this group. U.K.

RENAL DISORDERS U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

16.1. Driving licences may be issued or renewed for applicants and drivers suffering from serious renal insufficiency subject to authorized medical opinion and regular medical check-ups. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

16.2. Save in exceptional cases duly justified by authorized medical opinion, and subject to regular medical check-ups, driving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers suffering from serious and irreversible renal deficiency. U.K.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS U.K.

Group 1: U.K.

17.1. Subject to authorized medical opinion and, if necessary, regular medical check-ups, driving licences may be issued to or renewed for applications or drivers who have had an organ transplantant or an artificial implant which affects the ability to drive. U.K.

Group 2: U.K.

17.2. The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definiton of this group. U.K.

18. As a general rule, where applicants or drivers suffer from any disorder which is not mentioned in the preceding paragraph but is liable to be, or to result in, a functional incapacity affecting safety at the wheel, driving licences shall not be issued or renewed unless the application is supported by authorized medical opinion and, if necessary, subject to regular medical check-ups. U.K.