(1) No person who is incapacitated by reason
of disease, mental or physical disability or by addiction to alcohol or drugs
shall be issued a license or have their license renewed by the Department.
However, the Department, at its discretion, may issue a license to those
applicants for issuance or renewal of a license with certain physical
disabilities subject to certain restrictions as follows:
(a) Vision.
(i) No license shall be issued to any person
who does not have vision of 20/60 or better and a horizontal field of vision of
at least 140 degrees. If corrective lenses are necessary to meet these vision
standards, the applicant may only be issued licenses restricted to operating
vehicles while wearing such corrective lenses.
(ii) Applicants whose vision, even with
corrective lenses, is 20/60 or less in one eye may only be issued licenses
restricted to operating vehicles with an outside rearview mirror on the left
side.
(iii) In any case where the
Department has questions concerning a person's vision it may require a
statement with respect thereto made by a physician or osteopath licensed under
Ga. Code Chap. 43-34 or under Ga. Code Chap. 43-30 (Optometrist).
(b) Musculoskeletal.
(i) Applicants with the following
musculoskeletal disabilities may only be issued licenses restricted to
operating vehicles equipped with special equipment as follows:
1) Applicants who have either a hand or arm
missing or useless may be issued licenses restricted to operating vehicles
equipped with directional signals and automatic shift.
2) Applicants who have either one foot or one
leg missing or useless may be issued licenses restricted to operating vehicles
equipped with automatic shift, hand dimmer, artificial foot pedal extension,
manual brake or some combination thereof as the Department may determine is
necessary for the individual applicant. If the applicant's right leg is missing
or useless, the license may also be restricted to operating vehicles equipped
with left foot accelerator and wide brake pedal.
3) Applicants with both legs missing or
useless may be issued licenses restricted to operating vehicles equipped with
hand dimmer switch, hand throttle and vacuum brake equipment, automatic shift,
or any combination thereof as the Department may determine is necessary for the
individual applicant.
(c) The Department may add such additional
restrictions or combinations of restrictions to a person's license as it may
deem necessary for such person to operate a vehicle safely.
(d) Applicants, before being issued a
restricted license, may be required to demonstrate their ability to operate a
motor vehicle safely upon highways of this state. This driving demonstration
shall be as required in Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R.
375-3-1-.10.
(2) Any applicant who is denied a license or
any renewal thereof due to a mental or physical incapacity may apply to the
Driver License Advisory Board pursuant to Chapter 375-3-5 of these Rules for a
review of their capability to operate a motor vehicle safely.
(3) Any person who is issued a restricted
license and operates a motor vehicle contrary to the restrictions on such
license shall have such license revoked.
