Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) The competent medical specialist and the
Board shall review and apply the following medical criteria when rendering to
the Department a medical opinion of a driver's ability to safely operate a
motor vehicle.
1) The driver must possess the
emotional and intellectual ability to operate a motor vehicle. The driver's
medical condition must be controlled as follows:
A) be free from distractions caused by
hallucinations;
B) be free from
impulsive behavior, homicidal tendencies and/or suicidal tendencies;
C) be oriented with advanced preparation of
the driver's destination;
D) be
able to recognize and understand symbols of language and road signs and possess
the ability to not only see objects in the field of vision, but also to
recognize their significance and to react to them with sufficient speed to
avoid a catastrophe;
E) possess
sufficient memory to recall the driver's destination, the significance of road
signs and hazards, and the operational control of the motor vehicle;
F) be able to distinguish left from right and
to judge distance and relative speed of the motor vehicle as well as other
vehicles that may present a potential danger.
2) The driver must possess the motor and
sensory abilities to safely operate a motor vehicle. The driver's medical
condition must be controlled as follows:
A)
the ability to sit in a stable and erect posture and hold the head erect
throughout an intended driving interval;
B) be able to turn the head at least 25
degree in either direction in order to amplify the field of vision;
C) be able to control the motor vehicle with
ease, including the gripping of the steering wheel and reaching of the controls
and pedals, all without unbalancing or stressing the driver;
D) be able to perform all routine operations
of the motor vehicle with steady, well coordinated movements. The reaction time
of the driver must be average and not limited by muscle, joint or skeletal
deformity.
3) The driver
must have the ability to sustain consciousness throughout the entire intended
driving interval.
4) The driver
must be free from severe pain that could cause sudden incapacitation or the
inability to control a motor vehicle.
5) The driver must be able to meet the vision
requirements set forth in Sections
1030.70
and
1030.75.
6) The driver must not be medicated to the
extent of being incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle.
b) The competent medical
specialist and the Board shall evaluate the severity and/or limitations of the
medical condition a driver may have on a case-by-case basis. The Board may at
any time request additional information to assist it in evaluating the driver's
medical case. The Board shall take into account the driver's past driving
history and any underlying documents requested by the Board or submitted by the
driver and any documents relating to any accident, as well as all medication
and/or any mechanical mechanism being used by, or otherwise available to, the
driver.
c) The competent medical
specialist and the Board each have the authority to recommend full or limited
driving privileges to the Department, including, but not limited to, restricted
driving hours or miles, use of mechanical devices, and other conditions the
competent medical specialist and the Board deem appropriate, such as requesting
follow-up medical reports, depending upon the circumstances of the medical
case.
d) The competent medical
specialist and the Board each have the authority to recommend medical denial of
driving privileges indefinitely, or for a specific period of time.
e) Information, to the extent known by the
competent medical specialist, to be considered in determining if an individual
is medically fit to safely operate a motor vehicle, shall include, but is not
limited to:
1) History of illness;
2) Severity of symptoms and
prognosis;
3) Complications and/or
co-morbid conditions;
4) Treatment
and medications, effects and side effects, and person's knowledge and use of
medications;
5) Results of medical
tests and reports of laboratory findings;
6) Functional ability, including mental or
emotional function;
7) Reports of
driver conditions or behavior;
8)
Traffic accidents that have been caused by a medical condition. Temporary
medical conditions (e.g., broken limbs) are not to be considered under this
subsection (e).
f) The
Department shall determine if an individual is qualified to safely operate a
motor vehicle based on a vision test, the individual's knowledge of traffic
laws, road signs and rules of the road, vehicle equipment and safe driving
practices, and a road test as outlined in IVC Section 6-109.