Changes from plenary report to adopted text

Added- recognise and anticipate traffic dangers and hazards and assess their seriousness;

Added- have sufficient command of their vehicle not to create dangerous situations and to react appropriately should such situations occur;

Added- comply with road traffic regulations, and in particular those intended to prevent road accidents and to maintain the flow of traffic;

Added- detect any major technical faults in their vehicles, in particular those posing a safety hazard, and have them remedied in an appropriate fashion;

Added- take account of all the factors affecting driving behaviour (for instance alcohol, fatigue, poor eyesight, use of electronic device etc.) so as to retain full use of the faculties needed to drive safely; [Am. 199]

Added- help ensure the safety of all road users, and in particular of the vulnerable road users, by showing due respect for others;

Added- have sufficient knowledge of risk factors related to cyclists, pedestrians and micro mobility meansusers; [Am. 200]

Added- have sufficient knowledge of safety related to the usage of alternatively fuelled vehicles;

Added- have sufficient knowledge on the usage of advanced driving assistance systems and of other automation aspects of a vehicle.

AddedMember States mayare encouraged to adopt and implement the appropriate measures to ensure that drivers who have lost the knowledge, skills and behaviour as described under points 1 to 9 can recover this knowledge and those skills and will continue to exhibit such behaviour required for driving a power-driven vehicle. Member States may use revenues earmarked under Directive 2015/413 to financially support such measures. [Am. 201]

AddedAnnex III

AddedMINIMUM STANDARDS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FITNESS FOR DRIVING A POWER-DRIVEN VEHICLE [Ams. 258, 327 and 338]

AddedDEFINITIONS

Added1. For the purpose of this Annex, drivers shall be classified in two groups:

Added(1) Group 1: drivers of vehicles of categories A, A1, A2, AM, B, B1, BE and T and BE; [Am. 202]

Added(2) Group 2: drivers of vehicles of categories C, CE, C1, C1E, D, DE, D1 and D1E.

Added(3) National legislation mayshall provide for the provisions set out in this Annex for Group 2 drivers to apply to drivers of Category B vehicles using their driving licence for professional purposes (taxis, ambulances, etc.). [Am. 203]

Added2. Similarly, applicants for a first driving licence or for the renewal of a driving licence are classified in the group to which they will belong once the licence has been issued or renewed.

AddedMEDICAL EXAMINATIONSFITNESS FOR DRIVING A POWER-DRIVEN VEHICLE [Ams. 259, 328 and 339]

Added3. Group 1:

AddedApplicants shall perform either a self-assessment of their physical and mental fitnessor a medical examination for driving a power-driven vehicle in accordance with the national system in place in the Member State of normal residence. [Ams. 260 and 329]

AddedThe applicants shall be required to undergo a medical examination if it becomes apparent, from the self-assessment of their physical and mental fitness, including an appropriate examination for eyesight as described in point 6, when the necessary formalities are being completed or during the tests which they have to undergo prior to obtaining a driving licence, that they are likely to have one or more of theculminating in the issue of a reasoned medical opinion by a medical incapacities mentioned inauthority whose expertise is appropriate for the complexity of the combined purposes of this Annex. [Am. 205]

AddedDrivers shall be subject to the same procedure when theirWhen renewing driving licences are renewed, drivers may be subject to a medical examination for driving a power-driven vehicle, the self-assessment or any other form of assessment of fitness to drive in accordance with the national system in place in the Member State of normal residence. [Ams. 262, 331 and 341]

Added3a. The Member States might set stricter standards and rules than those set out in this annex for the issue or subsequent renewal of driving licences. [Am. 206]

Added4. Group 2:

AddedApplicants shall undergo medical examinations of their physical and mental fitness for driving a power-driven vehicle before a driving licence is first issued to them and thereafter drivers shall be checked in accordance with the national system in place in the Member State of normal residence whenever their driving licence is renewed. The medical examination may be performed by a general practitioner, provided he or she has completed the online training course referred to in Article 10(8a). [Am. 207]

Added4a. Drivers shall be subject to the same procedure when their driving licences are renewed. [Am. 208]

Added5. The standards set by Member States for the issuance or any subsequent renewal of driving licences may be stricter than those set out in this Annex.

AddedEYESIGHT

Added6. All applicants for a driving licence and for renewal shall undergo an appropriate investigation to ensure that they have adequate visual acuity, measured by means of validated visual acuity chart and field of vision for driving power-driven vehicles. Where there is reason to doubt that the applicant’s vision is adequate, he/she should be examined by a competent medical authority or by a qualified eye-care professional authorised by national law. At this examination attention shall be paid, in particular, to the following: visual acuity, field of vision, twilight vision, glare and contrast sensitivity, diplopia and other visual functions that can compromise safe driving. [Am. 209]

AddedFor group 1 drivers, licensing may be considered in ‘exceptional individual cases’ where the visual field standard or visual acuity standard cannot be met but there are reasons to believe that the issuance of a driving licence for the applicant would not impair road safety; in such cases the driver shall undergo examination by a competent medical authority or by a qualified eye-care professional authorised by national law to demonstrate that there is no other impairment of visual function, including glare, contrast sensitivity and twilight vision. The driver or applicant shall also be subject to a positive practical test conducted by a competent authority. [Am. 210]

AddedGroup 1:

Added(1) Applicants for a driving licence or for the renewal of such a licence shall have a binocular visual acuity, with corrective lenses if necessary, of at least 0,5 (decimal notation) when using both eyes together. [Am. 211]

AddedMoreover, the horizontal visual field shall be at least 120 degrees, the extension shall be at least 50 degrees left and right and 20 degrees up and down. No defects shall be present within a radius of the central 20 degrees.

AddedWhen a progressive eye disease is detected or declared, driving licences may be issued or renewed subject to the applicant undergoing regular examination by a competent medical authority.

Added(2) Applicants for a driving licence, or for the renewal of such a licence, who have total functional loss of vision in one eye or who use only one eye (for instance in the case of diplopia) shall have a visual acuity of at least 0,5 (decimal notation), with corrective lenses if necessary. The competent medical authority shall certify that this condition of monocular vision has existed for a sufficiently long time to allow adaptation and that the field of vision in this eye meets the requirement laid down in point 6.(1). [Am. 212]

Added(3) After any recently developed diplopia or after the loss of vision in one eye, there shall be an appropriate adaptation period (for example, six months), during which driving is not allowed. After this period, driving shall only be allowed following a favourable opinion from vision and driving experts. The authority may establish temporary requirements and, where appropriate, restrictions on night driving. [Am. 213]

AddedGroup 2:

Added(4) Applicants for a driving licence or for the renewal of such a licence shall have a visual acuity, with corrective lenses if necessary, of at least 0,8 (decimal notation) in the better eye and at least 0,1 (decimal notation) in the worse eye. If corrective lenses are used to attain the values of 0,8 and 0,1, the minimum acuity (0,8 and 0,1) shall be achieved either by correction by means of glasses with a power not exceeding plus eight dioptres, or with the aid of contact lenses. The correction must be well tolerated. The medical examination may be performed by a general practitioner who has undergone an online training referred to in Article 10 (8a). [Am. 214]

AddedMoreover, the horizontal visual field with both eyes shall be at least 160 degrees, the extension shall be at least 70 degrees left and right and 30 degrees up and down. No defects shall be present within a radius of the central 30 degrees.

AddedDriving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers withpresenting significant changes in twilight vision and impaired contrast sensitivity and insufficient vision after glare, with inappropriate recovery time even in the better eye or with diplopia. [Am. 215]

AddedAfter a substantial loss of vision in one eye, there shall be an appropriate adaptation period (for example six months) during which the subject is not allowed to drive. After this period, driving shall only be allowed after a favourable opinion from vision and driving experts. The competent medical authority may allow driving subject to certain requirements or impose restrictions. [Am. 216]

AddedHEARING

Added7. Driving licences may be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers in group 2 subject to the opinion of the competent medical authorities; particular account will be taken in medical examinations of the scope for compensation.

AddedPERSONS WITH A PHYSICAL DISABILITY

Added8. Driving licences shall not be issued to or renewed for applicants or drivers with complaints or impairments of the locomotor system which make it dangerous to drive a power-driven vehicle.

AddedGroup 1:

Added(1) Driving licences subject to certain restrictions, may be issued to applicants or drivers with physical disabilities following the issuing of an opinion by a competent medical authority. This opinion shall be based on a medical assessment of the complaint or impairment in question and, where necessary, on a practical test. It shall also indicate what type of modification to the vehicle is required and whether the driver needs to use an orthopaedic device, insofar as the test of skills and behaviour demonstrates that with such a device driving would not to be dangerous.

Added(2) Driving licences may be issued to or renewed for any applicant or driver with a progressive complaint on condition that the person is regularly examined to check that the person is still capable of driving the vehicle completely safely.

AddedWhere the physical disability is static, driving licences may be issued or renewed without the applicant being subject to regular medical examination.

AddedGroup 2:

Added(3) The competent medical authority shall give due consideration to the additional risks and dangers involved in the driving of vehicles covered by the definition of this group.

AddedCARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

Added9. Cardiovascular conditions or diseases can lead to a sudden impairment of the cerebral functions that constitutes a danger to road safety. Those conditions represent grounds for establishing temporary or permanent restrictions to driving.

Added(1) For the following cardiovascular conditions, driving licences may be issued or renewed for applicants or drivers in the indicated groups, only after the condition has been effectively treated and subject to competent medical authorisation and if appropriate, regular medical assessment:

Added(a) brady-arrhythmias (sinus node disease and conduction disturbances) and tachy-arrhythmias (supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias) with history of syncope or syncopal episodes due to arrhythmic conditions (applies to group 1 and 2);

Added(b) brady-arrhythmias: sinus node disease and conduction disturbances with second degree atrioventricular (AV) block Mobitz II, third degree AV block or alternating bundle branch block (applies to group 2 only);

Added(c) tachy-arrhythmias (supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias) with

Added- structural heart disease and sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (applies to group 1 and 2), or

Added- polymorphic nonsustained VT, sustained ventricular tachycardia or with an indication for a defibrillator (applies to group 2 only);