tuningblog.eu Your magazine about tuning the car
Recently updated on March 17, 2023 at 09:55 am
The ability to drive a vehicle safely depends on various factors. People who have overcome serious illnesses or who have to take medication permanently, could classified as unfit to drive. In this article you will learn what is meant by the term fitness to drive understand how this is checked and what measures can be taken to regain fitness to drive.
What does fitness to drive mean?
In order to understand when a person is no longer fit to drive, it is important to know the term “fit to drive”. Fitness to drive refers to the general mental, physical and character aptitude to drive a motor vehicle safely. A one-time fulfillment of these requirements does not automatically mean that they are always given. Certain illnesses, accidents or other events can lead to a loss of fitness to drive. It should also be noted that fitness to drive is independent of the driving licence is. A valid driver's license is not an automatic attestation of a person's fitness to drive. When acquiring a driver's license with a disability, proof of fitness to drive must also be provided.
loss of driving ability
Unfortunately, unforeseen difficulties can arise in the course of life. Health problems in particular can impair driving ability, since it is then no longer possible to drive a motor vehicle safely and responsibly. Mental impairments and age can also reduce the ability to drive. People who want to drive a vehicle at an advanced age should take particular care to ensure that any restrictions do not endanger road safety.
Which diseases impair driving fitness?
The assessment guidelines for driving suitability regulate exactly which diseases can impair a person's suitability to drive. However, this does not mean that driving the vehicle is generally prohibited, but suitability may be restricted. The following diseases can impair driving ability:
- damage after a stroke
- Diabetes with severe hypoglycaemia
- sleep apnea syndrome
- Arrhythmia
- Low blood pressure
- Epilepsy
- schizophrenia
- Parkinson
- High blood pressure with vision or circulatory disorders in the head
- Severe renal insufficiency
- dementia
It is therefore important to carry out regular medical examinations to ensure that you are fit to drive. If an illness is diagnosed that could affect the ability to drive, this should be reported to the responsible road traffic authority. However it is not mandatory, the to report illness And you don't have to take a driving test.
Be careful when taking medication on the road
Taking medication can affect your ability to drive and lead to dangerous situations on the road. Caution should be exercised in particular in the event of dizziness, tiredness or impaired perception caused by medication. The persons concerned should therefore read the information leaflet and contact any uncertainty from driving on the road. Drugs that should be taken with particular caution include antidiabetics, insulin, blood pressure medication, psychotropic drugs, muscle relaxants, Parkinson's drugs, painkillers and tranquilizers, and antihistamines.
Mental illness and fitness to drive
Mental illnesses can also impair driving fitness, but usually only in the case of acute symptoms. In the case of severe depression or a psychosis, for example, there is no fitness to drive in acute conditions. However, once the symptoms have subsided and a doctor has confirmed that you are fit to drive a motor vehicle, you can regain your fitness to drive. Those affected should pay attention to their own safety and the safety of other road users and, if in doubt, refrain from driving.
Fitness to drive: How is it checked and why is it important?
The fitness to drive of every vehicle driver must be checked regularly in order to ensure safety on the road. As a rule, this examination is carried out by a doctor with additional qualifications in traffic medicine. However, treating physicians can also point out to their patients a possible limitation of their fitness to drive and recommend a fitness to drive examination.
A fitness to drive examination usually ends with a traffic medical report, which is prepared by a qualified doctor on the basis of the assessment guidelines for driver suitability. The report is of a recommendatory nature and is only sent to the customer, i.e. the patient. Nobody can be forced to leave the car, but in the case of a negative report, it is strongly advisable to follow the recommendation in order to avoid road hazards.
In order to be able to conduct an aptitude test, the cause of the current condition must be known. In the case of a stroke, for example, it must be clarified what triggered the stroke in order to be able to assess the risk of recurrence. For the fitness to drive examination, the discharge report from the hospital, a detailed doctor's letter from the doctor treating you and information on diagnostics and therapy should be available. A fitness to drive examination is important to ensure your own safety on the road and that of other road users. In the event of an accident, it is possible that you will lose your driver's license or not pay the insurance because the suspicion of unsuitability already existed.
MPU vs. driving ability test – what are the differences?
Although the Medical-psychological examination (MPU) and the fitness to drive test are often confused with each other, there are significant differences between the two procedures. While the MPU is arranged because someone is about under Alcohol– or under the influence of drugs drove a vehicle or achieved the maximum number of points in Flensburg, the driving ability test is set no misconduct ahead.
The fitness to drive test is carried out for people who come for the test either on a voluntary basis or on the advice of their treating doctor. It is important to note that a reduction in fitness to drive due to consequential damage or permanent paralysis, for example after a stroke, must be entered in the driver's license using key numbers. If the patient's condition improves, fitness to drive can be restored by repeat testing. So it is not a permanent condition, just because the unsuitability was once established.
In contrast to the MPU, which indicates misconduct, the fitness to drive test shows whether the driver is able to drive a vehicle at all without endangering their own safety and that of other road users. The eye test (all information about the eye test) when applying for a driver's license is the only mandatory examination. However, the fitness to drive test is an important test for those who have concerns about their ability to drive or who are suspected of having a reduced ability to drive due to illness or medical conditions.
Of course, that wasn't the end of it.
tuningblog.eu has a lot of other articles on the subject of auto & tuning in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. But also planned changes in the law, violations in road traffic, current regulations in the field of STVO or on the subject inspection we would like to inform you regularly. Everything you can find in the category "Test sites, laws, offenses, information". Click on one of the following posts!
