The age at which regular 10-year driving licences expire for older people has been raised from 70 to 75. From that age, renewal is necessary every three years, or annually where medical assessment deems it necessary, under updated guidelines determining medical fitness to drive.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA)-published document is used to help doctors and healthcare professionals advise patients on whether they are in a satisfactory condition to get behind the wheel.
Covering a broad range of conditions – including neurological disorder, cardiovascular health, substance dependency and psychiatric conditions among others – the 134-page document is updated annually to keep pace with changing EU law and medical knowledge.
“With a longer life expectancy and a desire to be as mobile as possible it’s important that medical professionals are clear on what types of illnesses and disabilities impact on driving,” the document says.
This year's version, published on Thursday, includes "binge drinking" as part of a broader definition of alcohol use. The phenomenon is defined by the Health Service Executive-run website Drugs.ie as the consumption of six standard alcoholic drinks on a single occasion.
“Clinicians should consider binge-drinking as an important aspect of alcohol misuse in terms of traffic safety,” the updated guidelines note, “and should be vigilant for its presence, due advice on driving cessation, and directing patient towards treatment options.”
In Ireland, those holding a driver's licence are required to inform the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) of any substance dependency issues – the approach taken to substance use disorders is recommended in terms of diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring.
Guidelines
In the area of neurological disorders, guidelines have been updated relating to drivers with epilepsy. Epileptic attacks are classed as the “most frequent medical cause of collapse at the wheel”.
The document sets out that in cases of a first unprovoked seizure, driving is not initially permitted but is after six months, unless there are clinical factors which, in the opinion of a consultant, suggest an unacceptably high risk of a further seizure.
Licensing standards require that in cases where someone is diagnosed with the condition, they must remain seizure-free for one year to qualify for a one-year licence. If they remain seizure-free for five years, with annual reviews, a longer duration licence could be issued.
For drivers with supratentorial metastatic brain disease, undergoing immunotherapy or other molecular targeted treatment, relicensing can be considered one year after the completion of primary treatment, according to the updated guidelines.
Changes are also implemented for those with Brugada syndrome (a potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorder), with syncope or aborted sudden cardiac death. In such cases, driving with routine licences is permitted only when the condition has been effectively treated.
The updated document reiterates that those with monocular vision – sight in one eye only – cannot apply for a Group 2 licence, those relating to buses and trucks.
For more routine, or Group 1 licences, they are permitted to drive once a “competent medical authority” is satisfied the driver has adapted to the disability.
