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Consultation Document
From Monday 26 August 2013 until Monday 30 September 2013.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Consultation Document
1.CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS
2.CONFIDENTIALITY
3.THE LEGAL REQUIRMENTS FOR MEDICAL FITNESS TO DRIVE STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT
3.1 CURRENT POSITION FOR GROUP 2 DRIVERS
4. WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES TO BE USED FOR?
5.WHY, WHEN AND HOW IS MEDICAL FITNESS ASSESSED FOR GROUP 2 DRIVERS?
5.1WHEN WILL GROUP 2 DRIVERS BE MEDICALLY ASSESSED?
5.2SELF DECLARING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
5.5HOW THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE PROCESS WORKS
5.5. 1THE MEDICAL REPORT D501:
5.5.2EYESIGHT CHECK
6.BACKGROUND TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLÁINTE AGUS TIOMÁINT
RCPI Working Group on Traffic Medicine
7.CHAPTER HEADING OF SLÁINTE AGUS TIOMÁINT
Sláinte agus Tiomáint - Medical Fitness to Drive (MFTD) Guidelines for Group 1
Part A
Part B
Chapter 2: Neurological disorders
Chapter 3: Cardiovascular disorders
Chapter 4: Diabetes Mellitus
Chapter 5: Psychiatric disorders
Chapter 6: Drug & Alcohol misuse & dependence
Chapter 7: Visual disorders
Chapter 8: Renal disorders
Chapter 9: Respiratory & Sleep disorders
Chapter 10: Miscellaneous conditions & older drivers
APPENDIX 1 – Sláinte agus Tiomáint Guidelines Process Chart
APPENDIX 2 – Questionnaire
APPENDIX 3- Cover form for response to Group 2 Consultation
Submission Response Details
APPENDIX 4- Response Details
1.CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS
How to respond to this consultation
The commencement date for this consultation is Monday 26 August 2013 and it will close on Monday 30 September 2013.
The consultation paper can also be accessed at the following website address:
Responses can be sent:
When responding please state whether you are responding as an individual or whether you are representingthe views of an organisation. If you are representing the views of an organisation please make it clear which organisation you represent, and, where applicable, how the views were assembled(see Appendix 3 Cover form for response to Group 2 Consultation).
Enquiries regarding the content of this consultation paper, or requests for further copies, should be made to Niamh Reilly ().
2.CONFIDENTIALITY
The RSA may wish to publish responses to this Consultation document or a summary of these responses.
If you do not wish to consent to this you must clearly request that your response be treated confidentially. Any confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system email responses will not be treated as such a request.
You should also be aware that the sharing of the your response with the National Programme Office for Traffic Medicine and the RCPI Working Group on Traffic Medicine will be necessary to facilitate this process.
3.THE LEGAL REQUIRMENTS FOR MEDICAL FITNESS TO DRIVE STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT
For the purpose of Annex III of the 3rd Driving Licence Directive (which sets out minimum standards of physical and mental fitness for driving a power driven vehicle), drivers are classified in two groups:
The vehicles in Group 2 are regarded as higher-risk vehicles which require a higher standard of physical and mental fitness on the part of the driver.
3.1 CURRENT POSITION FOR GROUP 2 DRIVERS
All Group 2 drivers must submit a medical report with their application for a driving licence, whether it’s a first time application or a renewal application or an exchange application.
S.I. No. 537/2006 — Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 SCHEDULE 3
Regulations 12 and 20 list diseases or disabilities that require self declaration by the licence applicant. Details of the individual standards relating to specific medical conditions required as per the EU Directives are set out in Schedule 6 and 7 of these Regulations 35-41 S.I. No. 537/2006.
4.WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES TO BE USED FOR?
Sláinte agus Tiomáint Medical Fitness to drive Guidelines were produced to guide doctors in their assessment of drivers with medical conditions which may affect their driving. The standards contained in the Guidelines are based on best practice and guide doctors onthe standards set out in European Directives and regulations made in Ireland under the Road Traffic Acts. In summary the guidelines aim to:
Assist doctors to assess the medical fitness to drive of their patients in a consistent manner, based on current medical evidence.
Promote the management and planning for safe mobility among drivers with progressive health conditions.
To aid doctors to completea drivers D501 Medical Report for the Licensing Authority.
Provide information re decisions that will inform conditional licences – e.g. shorter licensed periods of 1-3years.
Promote legal obligations of patients to report certain medical conditions to the National Driver Licensing Service (NDLS).
Although the Guidelines will remain a universally accessible document on the RSA website its main purpose is as a reference document for medical professionals involved in medical assessments of fitness to drive as listed below.
Medical Professionals
Medical practitioners (General practitioners and specialists)
Optometrists
Occupational therapists
Psychologists
Physiotherapists
Other professionals that may also reference the document in the course of their work are:-:
RSA
NDLS
Allied health professionals
Garda Síochána
5.WHY, WHEN AND HOWIS MEDICAL FITNESS ASSESSED FOR GROUP 2 DRIVERS?
5.1WHENWILL GROUP 2 DRIVERS BE MEDICALLY ASSESSED?
Group 2 categorydriversare required to prove their fitness to drive at application or renewal or during their licence period should their health deteriorate or change in a way that would impact on their ability to drive safely. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) ask all drivers to self declare certain existing medical conditions as outlined below when completing a driver licence application, renewal or exchange form. They also require Group 2 drivers to submit with these forms a Medical Report (D501) to becompleted by their doctorwith each application/renewal. The maximum licensing period for a Group 2 driver is forfive years.
5.2SELF DECLARING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
1.Diabetes treated by insulin and or sulphonylurea tablets (doctor to advise whether patient is on these or not) no need to tell us if managed by other tablets and or diet.2.Epilepsy.
3.Stroke or TIAs with any associated symptoms lasting longer than one month.
4.Fits or blackouts.
5.Any type of brain surgery, brain abscess or severe head Injury involving in-patient treatment or brain tumour or spinal injury or spinal tumour.
6. An implanted cardiac pacemaker.
7. An implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD).
8. Repeated attacks of sudden disabling dizziness.
9. Any other chronic neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson disease and Huntington’s disease.
10. A serious problem with memory or periods of confusion.
11. Persistent alcohol misuse or dependency. / 12. Persistent drug misuse or dependency.
13. Serious psychiatric illness or mental health problems.
14. Parkinson’s disease.
15. Sleep Apnoea Syndrome.
16. Narcolepsy.
17. Any condition affecting the drivers peripheral vision.
18. Total loss of sight in one eye.
19. Any condition affecting both eyes, or the remaining eye if driver only has one eye (not including colour blindness or short or long sight).
21. A serious hearing deficiency.
22. Any persisting problem with arm(s) or leg(s) which needs driving to be restricted to certain types of vesicle adapted because of a physical disability to enable you to drive.
23. Severe learning disability.
The above list is not exhaustive.
5.5HOW THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE PROCESS WORKS
5.5. 1THE MEDICAL REPORT D501:
- This Medical Report D501 is available to download on you can get a copy at your local licensing office.
- Your Medical Report D501 to be valid must be no more than one month old when received by the licensing authority.
- Your Medical Report D501 can either state that the driver is safe to drive without conditions, or attach conditions such as a shorter licence period (e.g.1 or 3 years) under which the driver is certified safe to drive.
Drivers are responsible for the cost of getting their certificate. The cost varies from doctor to doctor.
5.5.2EYESIGHT CHECK
Drivers required to wear corrective lenses must prove their eyesight meets the required standard when for 1st learner permit or if they previously wore corrective lenses and now no longer require them. As evidence the driver can choose to get an Eyesight Report D502 from their doctor or from their optometrists.
6.BACKGROUND TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLÁINTE AGUS TIOMÁINT
The official title of the draft Guidelines which we are attaching for consultation isSláinte agus Tiomáint. These areGuidelines forassessing medical fitness to drive for Group 1 motorcycles, cars and tractors (with or without trailer) and Group 2 drivers trucks and buses (with or without trailer). The Guidelines are a Road Safety Authority (RSA) publication that are being developed and launched in two parts. The first part Group 1 Guidelines was published in January 2013 and the second part which is the subject of this consultation will contain Group 1 and Group 2 Guidelines and is scheduled for publication in January 2014.
The National Programme Office for Traffic Medicine was established in 2011 as a joint initiative by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) to manage the development of these Guidelines. The Guidelines and the programme work is under the directorship of Professor Desmond O’Neill (NPOTM) together with the RCPI Working Group on Traffic Medicine consisting of 36 healthcare and other professional organisations (as listed below). Thestandards agreed are based on current medical evidence, best practice and include standards set out in current European Directivesthat enable drivers with medical conditions which may affect their driving to be assessed effectively for a driving licence.
7.CHAPTER HEADING OF SLÁINTE AGUS TIOMÁINT
The standards comprise of two main parts. Part A provides general guidance to health professionals in assessing their patient’s fitness to drive. Part B sets out the medical standards for specific health areas. See table 1.
Table 1 Sláinte agus Tiomáint Content
Sláinte agus Tiomáint - Medical Fitness to Drive (MFTD) Guidelines for Group 1
Part A
Chapter 1: IntroductionPart B
Chapter 2: Neurological disorders
Chapter 3: Cardiovascular disorders
Chapter 4: Diabetes Mellitus
Chapter 5: Psychiatric disorders
Chapter 6: Drug & Alcohol misuse & dependence
Chapter 7: Visual disorders
Chapter 8: Renal disorders
Chapter 9: Respiratory & Sleep disorders
Chapter 10: Miscellaneous conditions & older drivers
Sláinte agus Tiomáint 2013 for Group 1 drivers are accessible universally at however the standards contained in the document are for use by medical professionals in providing advice to patients who hold driving Group 1 licences i.e. categories A, A1, A2, AM, B, BE, or W i.e. motorcycles, cars and tractors (with or without trailer). Similarly Sláinte agus Tiomáint 2014 for Group 1 and Group 2 drivers will also be available universally at but its main purpose is to guide doctors to make an assessment of their patients medical fitness to drive.
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APPENDIX 1 – Sláinte agus Tiomáint Guidelines Process Chart
Questions that will help us in our Consultation with youPlease indicate your answer by marking X in the relevant box
Disagree Strongly / Disagree / Neither / Agree / Agree Strongly
- The process of requiring you or your members as Group 2 Drivers to provide a Medical Report (D501) at least every 5 years at licence renewal is familiar to you and your members.
- Leaflets explaining the medical conditions contained in these guidelines and how to manage the conditions for safe driving would be of assistance to you or your members.
- Information on managing medical conditions during Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training would be of benefit to you or your members.
- A Traffic Medicine Ezine which updates the medical and driving community on Traffic Medicine events, initiatives and news stories would be useful to you.
- The standards contained in the draft Sláinte agus Tiomáint Medical Fitness to drive Guidelines positively support Group 2 drivers and road safety in Ireland.
APPENDIX 2 –Questionnaire
Please let us know your comments, observations or questions about Sláinte agus Tiomáint Medical Fitness to drive Guidelinesthat will help us in our Consultation with you1
APPENDIX 3- Cover form for response to Group 2 Consultation
Submission Response Details
Question / ResponseName of the respondent
Name of the Company for which you work(if applicable).
Position held within the above company and or Occupation
Are you authorised to make a submission on behalf of the above company.
Please mark X to indicate your answer / Yes / No
Address for the submission
Telephone no (s) for submission
Email contact details for submission
Do you consent to the RSA publication of your submission
Please mark X to indicate your answer / Yes / No
If the answer is no to the above you should be aware that the sharing of your response with the National Programme Office for Traffic Medicine and the RCPI Working Group on Traffic Medicine will be necessary to facilitate this process.
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APPENDIX 4-Response Details
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Responses can be sent:
By email to:
By post to: Niamh Reilly
Group 2 Consultation
Driver Licensing Section
Road Safety Authority
Moy Valley Business Park
Primrose Hill
Dublin Road
Ballina, Co. Mayo
By fax: 096 25252
Consultation for Sláinte agus TiomáintMedical Fitness to Drive Guidelines for Group 2 will run fromMonday 26 August 2013 and will end on Monday 30 September 2013
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